ease out

先日９歳の少女が主人公の小説The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordonを読みましたが、今度は１３歳の少年が主人公のTheodore Boone the Abduction（著者はJohn Grisham）を読みます。　The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordonはジュニア向けの小説とは思えない難しい英語が結構出てきましたが、今度の本は確かにジュニア向けの様です。早速取り上げる表現も簡単な基本単語のフレーズです。
They had passed the hat at school and collected almost two hundred dollars from students and teachers. Theo and his friends figured they could get the rest of the money from their parents in the event someone came forward with crucial information. Surely, Theo had argued, the parents would cough up the money, if necessary. It was risky, but there was so much at stake and so little time. Theo eased out the back door, leaving Judge alone and confused, then sneaked around to the front and hopped on his bike.
"eased out" 文脈からするとそっと抜け出したと言う感じですが、辞書で確認します。
・Macmillan Dictionary: to make someone leave a job or position without saying anything publicly: Senior party sources say Liddell will be eased out during the next few weeks.
・McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:
1. Lit. to continue moving out of something, slowly and carefully. I was able to ease on out of the parking space, but only with difficulty. I looked both ways and eased on out.
2. Fig. to leave something, such as an office or position, quietly and without much embarrassment. The bum finally eased on out of office without much public notice. He eased out while the press was concerned with some other crisis.
簡単な英語ですが、学校で習った英語からは中々出てこない表現です。