See Also: Safe sex(health)
safe(3)(dictionary)
safe sex(encyclopedia)
Safe(money)
safe(1)(dictionary)
safe sex(medicine)
Safe(medicine)
safe sex(dictionary)
safe-deposit box(dictionary)
safe-conduct(dictionary)

safe(1) (iou)



safe adjective. ME.
[Old & mod. French sauf (Anglo-Norman saf) from Latin salvus uninjured, entire, healthy.]
I.
Uninjured, unharmed; having escaped or avoided injury or damage. Freq. in safe and sound. ME.
C. Bront? We arrived safe at home. B. Montgomery The certainty..of the safe arrival of our reinforcements. J. Wyndham They'll be back safe and sound, you'll see.
In sound health, well; esp. healed, cured, restored to health. Also foll. by of. ME-E16.
Theology. Delivered from sin or condemnation, saved; in a state of salvation. ME-E17.
Mentally or morally sound or sane. LME-E19.
II.
Not exposed to danger; not liable to be harmed or lost; secure. (Foll. by from, of.) ME.
G. Greene He had the papers safe in his pocket. J. Betjeman Safe in her sitting room Sister is putting her feet up.
Of a place or thing: affording security or immunity; not dangerous, not likely to cause harm or injury. Also foll. by for. LME.
S. Bellow This is a safe building, guards and doormen round the clock.
Of an action, procedure, etc.: free from risk, not involving danger or mishap, guaranteed against failure. L16.
Liverpool Mercury One is perfectly safe in saying that the position of the defendants has..improved. J. G. Farrell With the country in such an uproar, it was not safe to go far afield.
Secured, kept in custody; unable to escape. Also, not likely to intervene or do harm. L16.
Sure in procedure; not liable to fail or mislead; trustworthy, dependable. Also, cautious, avoiding risk. E17.
Guardian They chose the safe middleroad candidate. G. Boycott Holding..has a safe pair of hands and made the catch. Motorway Express The safest drivers are those aged 64 to 68.
b. Law. Of evidence, a verdict, etc.: convincing, sustainable. Freq. in safe and satisfactory. M20.
a. Foll. by of: sure to obtain. Now rare or obsolete. M17.
b. Certain to do a thing, certain of being something. L18.
I. T. Thurston If anyone blundered, it was safe to be Baum.
Good, excellent. slang. L20.
V. Walters 'Safe, er, I mean that's fine,' said Janice.
Phrases: a safe pair of hands (in sport) a good catcher of the ball; gen. someone considered trustworthy and reliable. as safe as houses: see HOUSE noun1. fail safe: see FAIL verb. in safe hands protected by someone trustworthy from harm or damage. on the safe side with a margin of security against error or risk. play safe: see PLAY verb. safe as houses: see HOUSE noun1.
Special collocations & comb.: safe area in the war of 1939-45, an area not liable to be attacked or invaded. safe bet a bet that is certain to succeed; a virtual certainty. safe deposit a place in which valuables are stored. safe edge a smooth edge of a file. Safehand (proprietary name for) a courier service for confidential documents. safe hit Baseball = base hit s.v. BASE noun1. safe-hold a place of safety from attack. safe house a place of refuge or rendezvous for spies, terrorists, etc. safekeep verb trans. (rare) keep safe, protect. safe keeping the action of keeping something safe; protection, preservation. safe lamp, safelight Photography a dim darkroom lamp, usu. with a filter which is coloured according to the sensitivity of the materials used. safe load a load which leaves a required margin of security against causing breakage or injury to a structure. safe period the part of the menstrual cycle during which conception is least likely. safe seat a parliamentary seat which is likely to be retained at an election with a large majority. safe sex: engaged in by people who have taken precautions to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases such as Aids.
safeness noun LME.