Definition

1. Noun:
   • A designated escape route: An "emergency exit" is a specially marked door, stairway, or passage intended for use only during emergencies, such as a fire, to allow people to leave a building or vehicle quickly and safely.
   • A safety feature: It refers to a structural component designed as part of a building's or vehicle's safety plan to facilitate rapid evacuation.

Usage

• The term is used to identify a specific exit point that should remain unobstructed and is often equipped with special features like panic bars, alarms, or illuminated signs.
• It is commonly found in public buildings, aircraft, trains, and ships.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Please locate the nearest emergency exit upon entering the theater.
  • The flight attendant pointed to the emergency exits during the safety demonstration.
  • Employees must ensure the emergency exit is never blocked by storage boxes.

Advanced Usage

• "Emergency exit only": A phrase often printed on signs to indicate that a door should not be used for regular entry or exit, reserving it for emergencies.
  • The door marked "Emergency Exit Only" is alarmed and should not be opened unless necessary.

Variants and Related Words

• Fire exit (n): A type of emergency exit specifically designed for escape during a fire; often used interchangeably with "emergency exit."
  • The building code requires a fire exit on every floor.
• Egress (n): A formal term for the act of going out or leaving, or an exit itself.
  • The architect planned multiple points of egress for the stadium.

Synonyms

• Fire escape: Often refers to an external metal staircase serving as an emergency exit.
• Escape route: A path for getting out of a dangerous situation.

Related Phrases

• Emergency exit door: Specifies the door component of the exit.
  • He pushed open the heavy emergency exit door.
• Emergency exit light/illumination: The lighting that marks the exit's location.
  • The emergency exit lights must have battery backup.

Notes

• An "emergency exit" is a critical safety feature. Tampering with it, blocking it, or using it improperly (except in an actual emergency) is typically illegal and dangerous.
• The concept is universally recognized by standardized pictograms (a running man heading towards a door) rather than just text.

Noun

1. a stairway (often on the outside of a building) that permits exit in the case of fire or other emergency