fled

fled

The bird fled from the sudden noise.

Definition
  1. Verb (past tense and past participle of "flee"):
    • To have run away from danger or a threatening situation: "fled" means to have escaped quickly from a place or person to avoid harm, capture, or trouble.
    • To have disappeared or vanished quickly: In a figurative sense, "fled" can refer to something that has passed or gone away rapidly.
Usage Examples

  • As past tense of "flee":

    • The villagers fled the burning forest as fast as they could. (They ran away from the fire to save themselves.)
    • He fled the country after the revolution. (He escaped from his homeland due to political danger.)

  • As past participle of "flee":

    • The thief has fled the scene of the crime. (The criminal has already run away from where the crime happened.)
    • All hope had fled from her heart. (All optimism disappeared suddenly from her emotions.)
Advanced Usage

  • "to have fled in panic": to have run away due to extreme fear.

    • The crowd fled in panic when the gunshots rang out. (The people scattered and ran in terror.)

  • "to have fled the coop": an informal phrase meaning to have left a place or situation, often suddenly.

    • The teenagers fled the coop as soon as their parents left. (They left the house quickly and without permission.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Flee (verb, present tense): to run away from danger.

    • Animals flee from fire instinctively. (They escape by running.)

  • Flees (verb, third person singular): runs away.

    • She flees from any confrontation. (She avoids arguments by leaving.)

  • Fleeing (verb, present participle): running away.

    • The fleeing suspect was caught by police. (The person running away was captured.)
Synonyms
  • Escaped: to have gotten away from confinement or danger.
  • Ran away: to have left quickly, often secretly.
  • Bolted: to have run off suddenly, like an animal.
  • Decamped: to have left a place suddenly, often with belongings.
Related Idioms

  • Take flight: to run away or escape.

    • The birds took flight when they heard the noise. (They flew away quickly.)
    • The criminal took flight after the robbery. (He fled the scene.)

  • Make a run for it: to try to escape by running.

    • The prisoners made a run for it, but were caught. (They attempted to flee by sprinting.)