Meaning & use
escorting
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“escorting” is a form of “escort”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Going with someone or something to guide, protect or make sure they arrive safely or leave properly.
Grammar: Takes an object: the guard is escorting the visitor, not escorting.
Patterns
- escorting someone to somewhere
- escorting someone out of somewhere
Security guards were escorting the protesters out of the building.
The police are escorting the truck through the city.
I'm escorting my grandmother to the ceremony tonight.
noununcountableeuphemistic
The work of being paid to accompany clients, a term often used as a polite label for companionship that may include sexual services.
Grammar: No plural or article: she works in escorting.
Patterns
- work in escorting
- get into escorting
She left office work and began escorting to pay for her studies.
The article discussed escorting and the laws that apply to it.
He said escorting was legal in his country but advertising it was not.
Word forms
| base form | escort |
|---|---|
| third person singular | escorts |
| past tense | escorted |
| past participle | escorted |
Common combinations
- escorting guests
- A hostess was escorting guests to their tables.
- escorting a convoy
- Navy ships are escorting a convoy through the strait.
- escorting someone off the premises
- Staff were escorting the man off the premises.
- escorting children to school
- Volunteers are escorting children to school along the busy road.
- escorting a prisoner
- Two officers were escorting a prisoner to court.
Synonyms and how they differ
- accompanying
- Accompanying simply means going along with someone, whereas escorting adds a sense of guiding or guarding.
- guiding
- Guiding stresses showing the way, while escorting stresses staying with someone to ensure safe or proper movement.
- conducting
- Conducting is formal and often used for tours or officials, and escorting is a more common word in everyday speech.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: escorting or consorting?
escorting vs consorting
Consorting means spending time with people of doubtful reputation, which is different from escorting someone from place to place.
Practice
Two officers were ______ the witness safely through the crowd to the courthouse.
Choose one answer.
Escorting means accompanying someone to guard or guide them. Consorting means associating with people, so it does not fit the object and purpose here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “escorting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.