Also 6 eskert (eskart), 8 escorte. [a. Fr. escorte, ad. It. scorta, f. scorgere to conduct:—late L. type *excorrigĕre, f. ex out + corrigĕre to set right.
1. Mil. A body of armed men accompanying a traveller or travellers (whether for protection or surveillance, or as a mark of honor), or serving as a guard or convoy for baggage, provisions, treasure, etc.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., XVIII. 1077. The bands … had ouerthrowen the eskert [ed. 1599 eskart] or garde [orig. scorta] of victuals.
1708. Lond. Gaz., No. 4458/2. The Horses and Waggons … began their March with an Escorte of 2000 Foot and 800 Horse.
1802. James, Milit. Dict., Escort of deserters, consists … of a corporal and three rank and file.
1810. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., VI. 470. And Colonel Trant with his division attacked the escort of the military chest.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. vi. 496. Not with an army but with a mere escort of strangers.
2. transf. A number of persons, or often a single person, accompanying any one on a journey for the purpose of protection or guidance, or for courtesy’s sake.
1745. Fortunate Orphan, 33. Five Women, who had no other Escorte than a Recollet, this Jeweller, and a Youth of sixteen.
1754. Richardson, Grandison (1760), V. 61. I could not be so welcome to you as your escorte, as … I should be to Miss Byron and her friends, as her guest.
1847. G. P. R. James, J. Marston Hall, xii. The encounter with the courier and his escort had taken place.
a. 1860. Wraxall, trans. R. Houdin, xviii. 263. The ladies in waiting and the lady patronesses formed the royal escort.
3. abstr. Attendance in the capacity of an escort.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Loom & Lugger, II. v. 97. To make him desire Cooper’s escort.
1858. J. Martineau, Studies Chr., 221. The elder deities were compelled to … attend in escort to the Eastern idol.
