[a. Fr. escapade, ad. Sp. or Pr. escapada, f. escapar: see ESCAPE v.]
1. An act of escaping from confinement or restraint; a runaway excursion.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, I. iv. (1664), 22. I wish your bum-gut [may] fall out, and make an escapade.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxxvi. His second escapade was made for the purpose of visiting the field of Rullion-green.
1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. iv. 74. He tried … an escapade to the Low Countries … in a ship which lay … at Sandwich.
b. fig. A breaking loose from restraint or rules; a flighty piece of conduct.
1814. Scott, Wav., xxxiv. A youthful escapade, which might be easily atoned.
1827. A. Fonblanque, Eng. under Seven Administr. (1837), I. 80. A young nobleman … commits an escapade (the name given to the offences of persons of quality).
1862. Mrs. H. Wood, Mrs. Hallib., II. xxiii. Anna could have died rather than suffer her escapade to reach the ears of home.
1885. Manch. Exam., 15 May, 5/3. Lord R. Churchill’s latest escapade … is the theme of general remark.
† 2. Of a horse: A throwing off of control; a fit of plunging and rearing. Obs. rare.
1673. Dryden, Conq. Granada, I. i. His fiery Arab … Sprung loose, and flew into an Escapade.
