[es.cort] n [F escorte, fr. It scorta, fr. scorgere to guide, fr. (assumed) VL excorrigere, fr. L ex- + corrigere to make straight, correct--more at correct] (1745) 1 a (1): a person or group of persons accompanying another to give protection or as a courtesy (2): the man who goes on a date with a woman b: a protective screen of warships or fighter planes or a single ship or plane used to fend off enemy attack from one or more vulnerable craft
2: accompaniment by a person or an armed protector (as a ship)
[2]es.cort vt (1708): to accompany as an escort