es·ca·pade (ěs'kə-pād') n. An adventurous, unconventional act or undertaking.
[French, a trick, an escape, from Old French, from Old Spanish escapada (from escapar, to escape) or from Old Italian scappata (from scappare, to escape), both from Vulgar Latin *excappāre, to escape; see escape.]
1653, from Fr. "a prank or trick," from Sp. escapada "a prank, flight, an escape," from escapar "to escape," from V.L. *excappare (see escape). Figurative sense (1814) is of "breaking loose" from rules or restraints on behavior.