fire escape: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical, Everyday
Quick answer
What does “fire escape” mean?
A structure, usually a metal staircase or ladder, attached to the outside of a building for emergency exit in case of fire.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A structure, usually a metal staircase or ladder, attached to the outside of a building for emergency exit in case of fire.
Any emergency exit route designed for safe evacuation from a building during a fire; metaphorically, any planned means of extricating oneself from a difficult situation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Term is identical in both dialects. However, building regulations and typical designs (e.g., external vs. internal stairwells) can differ historically.
Connotations
Connotes urban living, older apartment buildings, and safety regulations. In AmE, strongly associated with tenement buildings in cities like New York.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “fire escape” in a Sentence
The [building] has a [ADJ] fire escape.They escaped via/down/up the fire escape.The fire escape was [ADJ].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fire escape” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The building regulations require all new blocks of flats to be fire-escaped.
- The old theatre was not properly fire-escaped.
American English
- The city ordinance demands that the warehouse be fire-escaped.
- They fire-escaped the tenement during renovations.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial use]
American English
- [No standard adverbial use]
adjective
British English
- The fire-escape door was painted bright red.
- We need to inspect the fire-escape route.
American English
- The fire-escape staircase was rusted.
- He leaned against the fire-escape railing.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In property management and health & safety documentation, referring to compliance with fire regulations.
Academic
In architecture, urban studies, or history, discussing building design and safety codes.
Everyday
Discussing safety features in a flat or office building, or describing a scene.
Technical
In fire safety engineering and building codes, specifying design, materials, and location.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fire escape”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fire escape”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fire escape”
- Using "fire escape" as a verb (e.g., 'We need to fire escape'). The verb phrase is 'escape from a fire'.
- Confusing 'fire escape' (noun) with 'fire exit' (which can be any designated door).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A 'fire exit' is any door marked as an emergency exit, which could lead to an internal stairwell or directly outside. A 'fire escape' specifically refers to the external staircase or ladder structure itself.
It is highly unusual in modern English. The standard verb phrase is 'escape from a fire'. Technically, 'to fire-escape' a building means to fit it with a fire escape, but this is rare and jargonistic.
The most iconic type is the external, wrought-iron staircase, often with multiple landings, found on older urban buildings, particularly in the US.
Building codes vary by location, but most multi-storey residential and commercial buildings are required by law to have designated and compliant fire escape routes, which may or may not be an external 'fire escape' structure.
A structure, usually a metal staircase or ladder, attached to the outside of a building for emergency exit in case of fire.
Fire escape is usually formal, technical, everyday in register.
Fire escape: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪər ɪˌskeɪp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪr əˌskeɪp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[no direct idioms for the noun phrase]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a FIRE needing an ESCAPE route. Picture a metal staircase snaking down the side of a brick building, the classic 'fire escape'.
Conceptual Metaphor
A FIRE ESCAPE IS A LIFELINE; A FIRE ESCAPE IS A PLAN B (figurative).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of a fire escape?