safe
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: enpr: sāf
ipa: /seɪf/
rhymes: -eɪf
Forms: form: safer
form: more safe
form: safest
form: most safe
Etymology: From Middle English sauf, safe, saf, saaf, from Old French sauf, saulf, salf (“safe”), from Latin salvus (“whole, safe”), from Proto-Italic *salwos, from Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- (“whole, every”).
Displaced native Old English sicor (secure, sure).
Senses: examples: text: You’ll be safe from the storm here in the cabin.
glosses: Not in danger; out of harm's reach.
examples: text: It’s safe to eat this berry.
text: 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.
ref: 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:
text: 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.
ref: 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
text: Probably the safest and easiest 'tool' that you can use to get off your rusty-dusty and follow your choice of exercise routine.
ref: 2012, D.B. Myers, The BodyWise Health System, page 37:
synonyms: riskless
harmless
antonyms: harmful
dangerous
glosses: Free from risk.
examples: text: We have to find a safe spot, where we can hide out until this is over.
glosses: Providing protection from danger; providing shelter.
examples: text: The pitcher attempted to pick off the runner at first, but he was safe.
topics: ball-games
baseball
games
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: 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.
topics: ball-games
games
hobbies
lifestyle
snooker
sports
glosses: In a location that renders it difficult to pot.
raw_tags: of an object ball
examples: text: The documents are safe inside the cabbinet.
synonyms: secure
glosses: Properly secured.
examples: text: dishwasher-safe
qualifier: often forming a compound
glosses: Not susceptible to a specified source of harm.
raw_tags: used after a noun
examples: text: 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
ref: 1996 August 12, "Mandrake", “Re: Multiple Messages - an apology”, in uk.people.gothic (Usenet):
text: Young Mal: Yu can’t. Irie means yer cool, yer safe, everything awright.
ref: 1996 or 1997, Roy Williams, Plays 1: The No Boys Cricket Club / Startstruck / Lift Off, Methuen, published 2002, →ISBN, page 165:
text: “If you need more, just ring, yeah?” Punch said.
 “Safe,” Brian answered.
ref: 2000, Teddy Hayes, Dead by Popular Demand, Justin, Charles & Co., published 2005, →ISBN, Chapter 14, page 134:
text: They end the call. Fami goes over to Paul. They touch hands.¶ Femi: Yeah, safe man.
ref: 2002, Danny Braverman, Playing a Part: Drama and Citizenship, Trentham Books, →ISBN, One Thursday — a short play, page 62:
text: “Yeah, safe mate, wassup?” says one hoodie, who should at least be credited with attempting a more detailed sentence construction.
ref: 2013, Steve Carter, Love, Sex and Tesco's Finest Cava, →ISBN, page 169:
text: Dom (David Jonsson): Hey, love the photos. They're just so—
Nathan (Simon Manyonda): Safe.
ref: 2023, Nathan Bryon, Tom Melia, directed by Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane:
synonyms: word: wicked
word: cool
word: amazing
word: astounding
word: awesome
word: awesomesauce
word: based
word: bewildering
word: cool
word: dope
word: enchanting
word: excellent
word: extraordinary
word: far out
word: fire
word: goshwow
word: hellagood
word: impressive
word: incredible
word: inspiring
word: gnarly
word: goated
word: grand
word: grandiose
word: great
word: groovy
word: magnificent
word: major
word: majestic
word: marvellous
word: mystifying
word: mythic
word: neat
word: lit
word: outstanding
word: phenomenal
word: powerful
word: rad
word: selcouth
word: stupendous
word: stupefying
word: sublime
word: surpassing
word: terrific
word: tight
word: unbelievable
word: unreal
word: wicked
word: wonderful
word: wondrous
glosses: Great, cool, awesome, respectable; a term of approbation, often as interjection.
examples: text: It is clear that this is not a safe conviction.
topics: law
glosses: Supported by evidence and unlikely to be overturned. Usually used in the negative, as unsafe.
raw_tags: of a conviction
synonyms: easy-going
merciful
tolerant
lenient
antonyms: strict
harsh
intolerant
glosses: Lenient, usually describing a teacher that is easy-going.
synonyms: trustworthy
glosses: Reliable; trusty.
examples: text: "[…] 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."
ref: 1883, Emma Raymond Pitman, Florence Godfrey's Faith: A Story of Australian Life, page 137:
text: "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."
ref: 2023 May 3 [????], William Hamilton Maxwell, Erin-go-Bragh: Vol. I, BoD – Books on Demand, →ISBN, page 318:
glosses: Certain; sure.
glosses: Cautious.
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
programming
sciences
glosses: Of a programming language, type-safe or more generally offering well-defined behavior despite programming errors.