† aˈscape, v. Obs.
Also askape.
[The common form of escape in ME., found down to 1523, due to phonetic levelling of proclitic ĕ- and ă-: see a- prefix 9. AFr. itself had occas. ascaper for escaper. Already in 13th c. it was aphetized to scape, in common use in all ages, and still a poetic form, though now written as a conscious contraction 'scape for e)scape. Cf. also achape, atscape, ofscape, aschape.]
= Escape.
| 1250 Lay. 1611 And vnneþe ascapede. 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 23 Non of þe Danes askaped. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xxii. 31 Ther ascaped neuer a person. |