Rescue
v.kind, resilientregister not recorded
Meaning 1
To save a person, animal, or thing from danger, loss, or confinement.
Reach for it when describing timely action that brings someone or something to safety
The crew rescued three kayakers before the current reached the gorge.
Choose between these
4- everyday
save
when preventing death, loss, or failure is the broad point
not when Save is broader and lacks rescue's movement out of danger.
- professional
evacuate
when moving people from a hazardous place is precise
not when Evacuation is preventive and may precede any distress.
- professional
retrieve
when locating and bringing back someone or something is central
not when Retrieval can occur without danger.
- formal
when release from unjust confinement is intended
not when Liberate carries political force and may overstate a routine rescue.
Meaning 2
To prevent a plan, organization, or result from failing.
Reach for it when describing corrective action that preserves valuable work
A smaller venue rescued the festival after the storm damaged the field.
Choose between these
5- playful
when reversing decline fits an informal business tone
not when A turnaround implies broader performance change.
- warm
when restoring activity keeps a project alive
not when Revive does not describe removal from immediate danger.
- professional
when returning lost ground or material matters
not when Recovery may happen naturally without rescuing action.
- professional
salvage
when saving useful value from damage is the aim
not when Salvage often accepts partial recovery and sounds impersonal for people.
- formal
when protecting continued existence is central
not when Preservation may be passive and need no urgent intervention.
Said against
4- endanger
- abandon
- doom
- squander
It naturally appears in
4- rescue a swimmer
The lifeguard entered the channel to rescue a swimmer.
- rescue operation
The rescue operation used local boats familiar with the shoals.
- rescue the project
A clear smaller scope helped rescue the project.
- last-minute rescue
A donated generator provided a last-minute rescue for the vaccine store.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English verb sense 1: save from danger or distress opens in a new tab for meaning 1 · retrieved 2026-07-26
- wiktionary, English verb sense 2: save from failure or serious difficulty opens in a new tab for meaning 2 · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.