escape hatch
An "escape hatch" can be a physical exit used in emergencies or a metaphorical way to avoid difficult situations.
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Definition
B2Emergency Situations
(technical)A small door or opening used to quickly exit a vehicle, vessel, or structure during emergencies.
Example
- The submarine crew used the escape hatch to evacuate quickly.
- Airplanes are equipped with escape hatches for emergencies.
B2Figurative
(informal)A means of avoiding a difficult or undesirable situation.
Example
- She used the job offer as an escape hatch from her stressful current job.
- The policy included an escape hatch to avoid potential legal issues.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "escape hatch":
escape routeescape artistexit bagfire escapeescape fireescape valvetrap outway outbail outcop outget awayexit stage leftbreak coverduck outexit programget outbug outgetaway man