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safe

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Safe, SAFE, and -safe

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
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Etymology

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From Middle English sauf, safe, saf, saaf, from Old French sauf, saulf, salf (“safe”), from Latin salvus (“whole, safe”), from Proto-Italic *salawos, from Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- (“whole, every”). Displaced Old English sicor (“secure, sure”).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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safe (comparative safer or more safe, superlative safest or most safe)

  1. Not in danger; out of harm's reach.
    You’ll be safe from the storm here in the cabin.
  2. Free from risk.
    Synonyms: riskless, harmless
    Antonyms: harmful, dangerous
    It’s safe to eat this berry.
    • 1890, Jacob A[ugust] Riis, “The Sweaters of Jewtown”, in How the Other Half Lives: Studies among the Tenements of New York, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 133:
      In fact, in presenting the home life of these people I have been at some pains to avoid the extreme of privation, taking the cases just as they came to hand on the safer middle-ground of average earnings.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
      When Timothy and Julia hurried up the staircase to the bedroom floor, where a considerable commotion was taking place, Tim took Barry Leach with him. He had him gripped firmly by the arm, since he felt it was not safe to let him loose, and he had no immediate idea what to do with him.
    • 2012, D.B. Myers, The BodyWise Health System, page 37:
      Probably the safest and easiest 'tool' that you can use to get off your rusty-dusty and follow your choice of exercise routine.
  3. Providing protection from danger; providing shelter.
    We have to find a safe spot, where we can hide out until this is over.
  4. (baseball) When a batter successfully reaches first base, or when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base or returns to the base he last occupied; not out.
    The pitcher attempted to pick off the runner at first, but he was safe.
  5. (snooker, of an object ball) In a location that renders it difficult to pot.
  6. Properly secured.
    Synonym: secure
    Hyponyms: binary-safe, fail-safe, thread-safe, type-safe
    The documents are safe inside the cabbinet.
  7. (used after a noun, often forming a compound) Not susceptible to a specified source of harm.
    dishwasher-safe
  8. (UK, slang) Great, cool, awesome, respectable; a term of approbation, often as interjection.
    Synonyms: wicked, cool; see also Thesaurus:awesome
    • 1996 August 12, "Mandrake", “Re: Multiple Messages - an apology”, in uk.people.gothic‎[1] (Usenet):
      and you also forgot to mentioned[sic] the wheels man you know bmw playing / ragga jungle hip hop tunes / and on the mobile / yeah safe! / nice one / later
    • 1996 or 1997, Roy Williams, Plays 1: The No Boys Cricket Club / Startstruck / Lift Off‎[2], Methuen, published 2002, →ISBN, page 165:
      Young Mal: Yu can’t. Irie means yer cool, yer safe, everything awright.
    • 2000, Teddy Hayes, Dead by Popular Demand‎[3], Justin, Charles & Co., published 2005, →ISBN, Chapter 14, page 134:
      “If you need more, just ring, yeah?” Punch said.
      “Safe,” Brian answered.
    • 2002, Danny Braverman, Playing a Part: Drama and Citizenship‎[4], Trentham Books, →ISBN, One Thursday — a short play, page 62:
      They end the call. Fami goes over to Paul. They touch hands.¶ Femi: Yeah, safe man.
    • 2013, Steve Carter, Love, Sex and Tesco's Finest Cava, →ISBN, page 169:
      “Yeah, safe mate, wassup?” says one hoodie, who should at least be credited with attempting a more detailed sentence construction.
    • 2023, Nathan Bryon, Tom Melia, directed by Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane:
      Dom (David Jonsson): Hey, love the photos. They're just so—
      Nathan (Simon Manyonda): Safe.
  9. (UK, law, of a conviction) Supported by evidence and unlikely to be overturned. Usually used in the negative, as unsafe.
    It is clear that this is not a safe conviction.
  10. (slang) Lenient, usually describing a teacher that is easy-going.
    Synonyms: easygoing, merciful, tolerant; see also Thesaurus:lenient
    Antonyms: strict, harsh, intolerant
  11. Reliable; trusty.
    Synonym: trustworthy
    safe food
  12. Certain; sure.
    • 1883, Emma Raymond Pitman, Florence Godfrey's Faith: A Story of Australian Life, page 137:
      " […] so if you think he is at the infirmary, I'll make my way there." "He's safe to be there, my lad, because he's house surgeon to the infirmary, and they do say he's a very clever one."
    • 2023 May 3 [????], William Hamilton Maxwell, Erin-go-Bragh: Vol. I, BoD – Books on Demand, →ISBN, page 318:
      "He's safe to be hanged, an' that, all in an' out, when they recovred there senses an' ther tongue, offert to make affidavid on, if they were askt upon oath."
  13. Cautious.
  14. (programming) Of a programming language, type-safe or more generally offering well-defined behavior despite programming errors.

Antonyms

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Translations

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