seɪf adj. & n. --adj. 1 a
free of
danger or
injury. b (often foll. by from)
out of or
not exposed to danger (safe
from their enemies). 2 affording
security or not involving danger or
risk (put it in a safe place). 3
reliable,
certain;
that can be reckoned on (a safe
catch; a safe
method; is safe to win). 4 prevented from escaping or
doing harm (have
got him safe). 5 (also safe
and sound)
uninjured;
with no harm
done. 6
cautious and
unenterprising; consistently
moderate. --n. 1 a
strong lockable
cabinet etc.
for valuables. 2 =
meat safe. øon
the safe
side with a
margin of security
against risks. safe
bet a bet that is certain to
succeed. safe-breaker (or -blower or -cracker) a
person who breaks
open and robs safes. safe
conduct 1 a
privilege of
immunity from
arrest or harm,
esp. on a
particular occasion. 2 a
document securing
this. safe
deposit a
building containing strongrooms and safes let separately. safe
house a
place of
refuge or
rendezvous for spies etc. safe
keeping preservation in a safe place. safe
light Photog. a filtered light for
use in a
darkroom. safe
period the
time during and
near the
menstrual period
when conception is
least likely. safe
seat a seat in
Parliament etc. that is usually
won with a
large margin by a particular party. safe
sex sexual activity in
which precautions are taken to
reduce the risk of spreading sexually transmitted diseases, esp.
Aids. øøsafely adv. safeness n. [ME f. AF saf, OF sauf f. L salvus uninjured: (n.) orig. save f. SAVE(1)]
