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échapper

to escape, to avoid

verb eh-shah-PEH Less Common

Usage Note

Échapper is most commonly used reflexively — s'échapper means to escape or slip away (le prisonnier s'est échappé). The non-reflexive échapper à means to avoid or elude something: tu l'as échappé belle ('you had a narrow escape'). Note that laisser échapper means to let slip or accidentally drop something.

Examples

"Il a réussi à s'échapper."

Natural Translation

He managed to escape.

Literal Translation

He has succeeded to oneself-escape

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