evacuate

[ih-vak-yoo-eyt]

verb (used with object)

evacuated, evacuating 

1. to leave empty; vacate.

   Synonyms: drain, void, empty

2. to remove (persons or things) from a place, as a dangerous place or disaster area, for reasons of safety or protection.

   to evacuate the inhabitants of towns in the path of a flood.

3. to remove persons from (a city, town, building, area, etc.) for reasons of safety.

   to evacuate the embassy after a bomb threat.

4. Military.

   1. to remove (troops, wounded soldiers, civilians, etc.) from a war zone, combat area, etc.

   2. to withdraw from or quit (a town, fort, etc., that has been occupied).

5. Physiology.,  to discharge or eject as through the excretory passages, especially from the bowels.

6. to deprive.

   Fear evacuated their minds of reason.

7. to produce a vacuum in.

verb (used without object)

evacuated, evacuating 

1. to leave a place because of military or other threats.

2. to void; defecate.

evacuate

/ ɪˈvækjʊˌeɪt /

verb

1. (also intr) to withdraw or cause to withdraw from (a place of danger) to a place of greater safety

2. to make empty by removing the contents of

3. (also intr) physiol

   1. to eliminate or excrete (faeces); defecate

   2. to discharge (any waste product) from (a part of the body)

4. (tr) to create a vacuum in (a bulb, flask, reaction vessel, etc)

Other Word Forms

• evacuative adjective
• evacuation noun
• evacuator noun
• reevacuate verb
• unevacuated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of evacuate¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin ēvacuātus “emptied out” (past participle of ēvacuāre, equivalent to ē- + vacuāre ); e- ¹, vacuum, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of evacuate¹

C16: from Latin ēvacuāre to void, from vacuus empty

Example Sentences

Authorities said an unspecified number of homes were affected and people had been evacuated.

From BBC

Fearing for their safety, he and his wife evacuated, heading to a neighboring town for the day.

From Salon

Houses have been evacuated and traffic has been diverted due to a security alert in Brewery Lane in Newtownards, County Down.

From BBC

Some 20,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying and flood-affected areas, with hundreds of relief camps set up to provide shelter and essential facilities to the affected families.

From BBC

All occupants of the home were able to evacuate before responding firefighters forced entry to battle the heavy blaze on the first floor and back of the property.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abandon 
• depart 
• desert 
• discharge 
• displace 
• expel 
• leave 
• move out 
• pull out 
• remove 
• vacate 
• withdraw