emergency: Meaning and Definition of

e•mer•gen•cy

Pronunciation: (i-mûr'jun-sē), [key]
— n., pl. adj. -cies,
—n.
  1. a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action.
  2. a state, esp. of need for help or relief, created by some unexpected event: a weather emergency; a financial emergency.
—adj.
  1. granted, used, or for use in an emergency: an emergency leave; emergency lights.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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