Fire escape - 英语词汇详解

Meaning 1：fire escape (Fire escape)

Fire escape 🔊

/ˈfaɪər ɪˈskeɪp/

A special staircase, usually made of metal and fixed to the outside of a building, for people to escape in case of a fire.

fire escape 🔊

➕

/ˈfaɪər ɪˈskeɪp/

A metal staircase attached to the outside of a building, used for emergency evacuation during a fire.

📁 Category：Buildings & Places 🔖 Level：初级

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

'Fire' (Old English fyr) + 'escape' (Latin ex- 'out' + cappa 'cloak', meaning to get out).

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a metal ladder on a burning building: 'Fire' + 'escape' = your way out.

📖 Example

Before booking the hotel room, she checked that there was a fire escape right outside her window, just in case. 🔊 Before booking the hotel room, she checked that there was a fire escape right outside her window, just in case.

🔗 Collocations

install a fire escape – to mount an emergency staircase on a building

use the fire escape – to exit via the emergency stairs

fire escape ladder – the metal ladder structure itself

🔄 Synonyms

emergency staircase (n.) – A stairway designed for emergency exit during a fire.

fire ladder (n.) – A metal ladder attached to a building for fire evacuation.

📖 Cultural Story

Fire escapes became common in US cities after deadly factory fires in the late 19th century, especially the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which spurred safety regulations.