Leaving or Escaping: English Vocabulary List

to begin to leave somewhere by running fast

"He took to his heels."

"When the angry dog started barking, the startled child immediately took to his heels and ran home."

said to mean that a person that one looks for has fled or left

"The bird has flown."

"We searched the entire house, but by the time we arrived, the bird had flown, leaving no trace."

(of a person) not attending a place one was supposed to or leaving an obligation without any notice or permission

"The student was AWOL."

"The soldier went AWOL for three days and he was court martialed and sentenced to thirty days of hard labor."

to experience a sudden and significant decline, deterioration, or devaluation, often unexpectedly or rapidly

"The stock went south."

"After the unexpected scandal broke, the company's stock price began to go south at an alarming rate."

to suddenly disappear from sight, particularly in order to hide from someone

"The fox went to ground."

"After the robbery, the suspect managed to go to ground, making him incredibly difficult for the police to locate."

to escape in order to not get caught or not to be with someone

"He gave the slip."

"The clever thief managed to give the pursuing officers the slip by disappearing into the crowded marketplace."

to dance, particularly in a nice way

"Let's bust a move!"

"As soon as the DJ dropped the beat, everyone on the dance floor started to bust a move."

to start to leave a place to get to somewhere else

"Let's make a move."

"As the evening grew late and the party started to wind down, it was time to make a move towards home."

used to refer to a someone or something that suddenly disappears, particularly in a way that is mysterious or suspicious

"He vanished into thin air."

"The suspect managed to escape the police and disappear into thin air before they could apprehend him."

an instance of someone becoming impossible to find, particularly when they are needed, wanted, or in a difficult or unpleasant situation

"A disappearing act."

"When the bills arrived, the landlord performed a spectacular vanishing act, leaving his tenants with no recourse."

to leave a place secretly and as fast as one can, particularly in order to avoid paying one's debts

"They did a moonlight flit."

"The tenants, unable to pay their rent, decided to do a moonlight flit and escape their landlord's wrath."

to manage to escape from a prison

"He went over the wall."

"Despite the high security, two inmates managed to go over the wall and disappear into the night."

(of a soldier) having left one's military duty without being permitted to do so

"He went awol."

"The soldier was declared awol after failing to report for duty without any explanation."

to depart or leave a place, often with the intention of avoiding a difficult or uncomfortable situation

"They will go south."

"Fearing the escalating conflict, many residents decided to go south to find a safer and more peaceful environment."

moving from one place to another in an attempt to not get caught or arrested

"The thief is on the run."

"After the robbery, the suspects were on the run from the police for several days."

to leave somewhere, often hastily

"Let's bust a move."

"The sudden alarm caused everyone to bust a move and flee the building as quickly as possible."

to start to leave a place to get to somewhere else

"We must make a move."

"With the deadline rapidly approaching, it's time for us to make a move and begin the final preparations."

running away in an attempt not to get caught

"He is in the wind."

"After the scandal broke, the disgraced executive was nowhere to be found, seemingly in the wind."