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Webster 1913 Edition

Safe

Safe

,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Safer
;
sup
erl.
Safest
.]
[OE.
sauf
, F.
sauf
, fr. L.
salvus
, akin to
salus
health, welfare, safety. Cf.
Salute
,
Salvation
,
Sage
a plant,
Save
,
Salvo
an exception.]
1.
Free from harm, injury, or risk; untouched or unthreatened by danger or injury; unharmed; unhurt; secure; whole;
as,
safe
from disease;
safe
from storms;
safe
from foes
.
“And ye dwelled safe.”
1 Sam. xii. 11.
They escaped all
safe
to land.
Acts xxvii. 44.
Established in a
safe
, unenvied throne.
Milton.
2.
Conferring safety; securing from harm; not exposing to danger; confining securely; to be relied upon; not dangerous;
as, a
safe
harbor; a
safe
bridge, etc.
“The man of safe discretion.”
Shak.
The King of heaven hath doomed
This place our dungeon, not our
safe
retreat.
Milton.
3.
Incapable of doing harm; no longer dangerous; in secure care or custody;
as, the prisoner is
safe
.
But Banquo’s
safe
?
Ay, my good lord,
safe
in a ditch he bides.
Shakespeare
Safe hit
(Baseball)
,
a hit which enables the batter to get to first base even if no error is made by the other side.
Syn. – Secure; unendangered; sure.

Safe

,
Noun.
A place for keeping things in safety.
Specifically:
(a)
A strong and fireproof receptacle (as a movable chest of steel, etc., or a closet or vault of brickwork) for containing money, valuable papers, or the like.
(b)
A ventilated or refrigerated chest or closet for securing provisions from noxious animals or insects.

Safe

,
Verb.
T.
To render safe; to make right.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Webster 1828 Edition

Safe

SAFE

,
Adj.
[L. salvus, from salus, safety, health.]
1.
Free from danger of any kind; as safe from enemies; safe from disease; safe from storms; safe from the malice of foes.
2.
Free from hurt, injury or damage; as, to walk safe over red hot plowshares. We brought the goods safe to land.
3.
Conferring safety; securing from harm; as a safe guide; a safe harbor; a safe bridge.
4.
Not exposing to danger. Phil. 3.
5.
No longer dangerous; placed beyond the power of doing harm; a ludicrous meaning.
Banquo's safe. - Aye, my good lord, safe in a ditch.

SAFE

,
Noun.
A place of safety; a place for securing provisions from noxious animals.

SAFE

,
Verb.
T.
To render safe. [Not in use.]

Definition 2024

Safe

Safe

See also: safe and -safe

German

Noun

Safe m, n ‎(genitive Safes, plural Safes)

  1. (vault) safe

Synonyms

Declension

masculine
neuter

safe

safe

See also: Safe and -safe

English

Adjective

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

  1. Not in danger; free from harm's reach.
    You’ll be safe here.‎
  2. Free from risk; harmless, riskless.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess:
      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.
    It’s safe to eat this.‎
  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. Properly secured; secure.
    The documents are safe.‎
  6. (used after a noun, often forming a compound) Not susceptible to a specified source of harm.
    dishwasher safe;  dishwasher-safe‎
  7. (Britain, slang) Great, cool, awesome, respectable; a term of approbation.
  8. (slang) Lenient, usually describing a teacher that is easy-going.
    • 1996 August 12, "Mandrake", “Re: Multiple Messages - an apology”, in uk.people.gothic, 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, Methuen, published 2002, ISBN 9780413772091, page 165:
      Young Mal: Yu can’t. Irie means yer cool, yer safe, everything awright.
    • 2000, Teddy Hayes, Dead by Popular Demand, Justin, Charles & Co., published 2005, ISBN 9781932112238, 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, Trentham Books, ISBN 9781858562424, One Thursday — a short play, page 62:
      They end the call. Fami goes over to Paul. They touch hands.¶ Femi: Yeah, safe man.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Steve Carter, Love, Sex and Tesco's Finest Cava, page 169:
      “Yeah, safe mate, wassup?” says one hoodie, who should at least be credited with attempting a more detailed sentence construction.
  9. Reliable.
  10. Cautious.

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • unsafe
  • (providing protection from danger; providing shelter): dangerous
  • (providing protection from danger; providing shelter): harmful
  • insecure
  • (lenient): strict, harsh, intolerant

Hyponyms

Translations

slang: wicked - cool - awesome
  • Swahili: uganda (sw)

Noun

safe ‎(plural safes)

  1. A box, usually made of metal, in which valuables can be locked for safekeeping.
  2. (slang) A condom.
    • 1999, Rita Ciresi, Pink Slip, Delta (1999), ISBN 0385323638, page 328:
      She'd better have an arsenal of Trojans in her purse just in case he wasn't carrying a safe in his back pocket.
  3. (dated) A ventilated or refrigerated chest or closet for securing provisions from noxious animals or insects.

Synonyms


Translations

Derived terms

Related terms

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: board · associated · worse · #977: safe · main · q · greatly

See also

References

Hausa

Adverb

sāfe

  1. in the morning

Etymology

English safe

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