escort English · revision 10594

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1579|origins=frm escorte|origins=it scorta}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: noun: UK /ˈes.kɔːt/, US /ˈes.kɔːrt/; verb: UK /ɪˈskɔːt/, US /esˈkɔːrt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|escorte]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from Italian [[m|it|scorta|t=a guiding]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) the noun use of the feminine past participle of scorgere, to guide, conduct,^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) from Vulgar Latin *excorrigere, from ex-, out, and Latin corrigere, to set right (see [[correct]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A body of armed men guarding a traveller or goods: 1579.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A person or group accompanying another for protection or honour is from 1745,^(OED 1989) the 18th century in Hoad.^(Hoad 1986) The verb is from 1708, at first military,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) with a social sense from 1890.^(Etymonline) A man accompanying a woman to a dance or party is from 1936,^(OED 1989) and naval and air escorts from 1914 and 1946.^(OED 1989) A person hired to accompany someone socially belongs to later use.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1579 – an armed guard.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1708 – to escort (verb).^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1745 – any accompanying person.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1890 – to escort socially.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1914 – a warship escort.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1936 – a woman's escort to a party.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # One or more people or vehicles accompanying another to [[guard|alt=guide]], protect or honour them.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A man who accompanies a woman on a social occasion.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person who may be hired to accompany someone socially.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To accompany as an escort.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[escort carrier]]

+ * [[destroyer escort]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[correct]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}