Gets away from confinement or danger; avoids capture or harm. Also means to fail to be remembered or noticed by someone.
Old French 'eschaper', meaning 'to escape', possibly from Vulgar Latin 'excappare' (to get out of one's cape), from 'ex-' (out of) + 'cappa' (cape). The imagery suggests slipping out of a cloak to avoid capture.
The etymology suggests that medieval escape artists literally slipped out of their outer garments to flee - a technique still used by modern escape artists and even some animals that can shed their tails or outer skin. In computing, 'escape characters' use the same metaphor: special symbols that 'escape' normal interpretation.
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