rescue
rescue — verb
1. to get someone or something away from a situation that could cause them harm or
to get someone or something away from a situation that could cause them harm or death, keeping them safe
Firefighter Jabari rescued a young girl from the burning building just before it collapsed.
rescue + person + from + dangerous place
Sahil rescued a stray puppy that was stuck in a narrow drainage pipe.
A passing fishing boat rescued the three fishermen whose engine had failed during the storm.
Anna's quick thinking helped rescue a child who had fallen through the ice.
Over fifty cats were rescued from an abandoned warehouse by local volunteers last week.
文法句型
rescue + [person/animal] + from + [danger/situation]
用法筆記
The person or thing being rescued is the direct object. The source of danger is typically introduced with 'from.' This sense appears frequently in news reporting, emergency services, and personal stories about helping others.
常見錯誤
2. to use force against officials to set free a person who has been arrested or is
to use force against officials to set free a person who has been arrested or is being held in legal custody
Armed men rescued the prisoner from a police van at a red light.
rescue + prisoner + from + vehicle under guard
Three men attempted to rescue the gang leader from the courthouse jail during his trial.
attempt to rescue + person + from + legal facility
In the film, the rebels rescue their commander from a heavily guarded military prison.
A masked man tried to rescue the suspect as he left the courthouse.
文法句型
rescue + [prisoner/defendant] + from + [custody/location]
用法筆記
This sense is specific to legal and law-enforcement contexts. It is much less common in everyday conversation than the general 'save from danger' sense. The action is always unlawful, so the subject is typically a criminal group or a person acting outside the law.
rescue — noun
1. the act of pulling someone away from harm or removing them from a life-threateni
the act of pulling someone away from harm or removing them from a life-threatening situation
The coastguard performed a dramatic rescue of four sailors from the storm.
carry out a rescue of + [people] + from + [danger]
Pedro won a bravery award for his rescue of a toddler from a busy road.
The rescue took over six hours because the hikers were trapped in a narrow cave.
Everyone praised the swift rescue of passengers from the overturned bus.
- abandonment
the act of leaving someone in danger
- neglect
failure to help someone who is in danger
文法句型
a/the rescue of + [person/group]
come to the + rescue
用法筆記
Common in fixed collocations such as 'rescue operation,' 'rescue team,' 'rescue effort,' and 'rescue mission.' The phrase 'come/go to the rescue' is a fixed expression meaning to help someone in difficulty.
常見錯誤
2. a place that cares for animals that are sick, injured, or have nowhere safe to l
a place that cares for animals that are sick, injured, or have nowhere safe to live
Lan volunteers at a local animal rescue that cares for abandoned dogs and cats.
volunteer at + [adj] + rescue
The rescue takes in injured wildlife, including owls, rabbits, and hedgehogs.
Folake donated money to the horse rescue after visiting the facility last winter.
After the flood, the rescue ran out of space for all the displaced pets.
- shelter
more general; can be a government-run facility; 'rescue' often implies a volunteer-run organisation
- sanctuary
emphasises a permanent, safe home, usually for animals that cannot be rehomed
- animal centre
neutral term for any facility that houses animals
文法句型
[adjective] + rescue
a/the + [animal type] + rescue
用法筆記
In this sense, 'rescue' refers to the organisation or facility itself, not the action. It is often modified by the type of animal the organisation helps, as in 'cat rescue,' 'dog rescue,' or 'wildlife rescue.'
常見錯誤
3. an animal that was living in unsafe or unhealthy conditions and has been brought
an animal that was living in unsafe or unhealthy conditions and has been brought to a loving permanent home
Dewi adopted a three-legged rescue from the shelter after seeing its photo online.
adopt a rescue from + [place]
Their dog Bruno is a rescue that was found abandoned on a highway.
be a rescue
The rescue was shy at first but soon became very friendly.
Reuben's cat is a rescue that was brought in during a winter storm.
- adopted pet
broader term; 'rescue' specifically implies the animal was in distress before adoption
- shelter pet
focuses on the origin rather than the animal's past suffering
- pedigree dog
a dog from a breeder with known parents, as opposed to a rescue with unknown background
文法句型
be a rescue
adopt a rescue
用法筆記
Used conversationally to describe an adopted pet's background. The phrase 'is a rescue' is a common way to explain that a pet was adopted from a shelter rather than bought from a breeder.
常見錯誤
rescue — adjective
1. describing an animal that was taken from a harmful or neglected situation and gi
describing an animal that was taken from a harmful or neglected situation and given a new permanent home with a family
Alessia adopted a rescue dog from the shelter that had been found on the street.
rescue + dog/cat/horse, followed by 'from'
The rescue rabbit was very nervous around people but slowly learned to trust them.
Many rescue cats need extra patience as they adjust to life in a new home.
Iris's rescue horse had been badly treated by its previous owner.
- adopted
broader; can apply to any pet obtained from a shelter, not necessarily one that was in distress
- pedigree
a dog from a breeder with documented lineage
文法句型
rescue + [animal noun]
用法筆記
Attributive only — this sense always appears before a noun referring to an animal. It does not apply to people. Distinguish from adjective sense 2 (SEARCH AND RESCUE), where the animal performs rescue work rather than having been rescued itself.
常見錯誤
❌ 'My rescue cat is still very wild.' (ambiguous) — if you mean 'my cat that I rescued' vs 'my cat that does rescue work,' the context usually makes it clear, but 'adopted cat' is clearer for this sense.
2. describing an animal that has received special training to find or help people d
describing an animal that has received special training to find or help people during emergencies such as natural disasters or accidents
The rescue dog was trained to find people buried under snow after avalanches.
rescue dog trained to + [task]
Rescue dolphins are taught to guide boats toward swimmers in trouble at sea.
rescue + [species] + trained to + [task]
A rescue horse carried the injured rider down the mountain trail to safety.
Search teams rely on rescue dogs to locate survivors after major earthquakes.
- search-and-rescue
the full compound adjective is more formal and precise
- working
broader; any animal trained for a job, not specifically rescue work
文法句型
rescue + [trained animal noun]
用法筆記
Distinguish from adjective sense 1 (ADOPTED PET). In this sense, the animal performs rescue work rather than being rescued itself. Context — look for words about training, professional work, or emergency scenes.