safety catch


noun
  1. a device used in mechanisms, as for elevators, to prevent falling in the event of mechanical failure.

Origin of safety catch

1
First recorded in 1875–80

Words Nearby safety catch

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use safety catch in a sentence

  • The doctor turned with a howl of rage, snatched up the pistol which lay on the table, and thumbed down the safety-catch.

    The Green Rust | Edgar Wallace
  • We heard a click as the safety catch on the man's rifle lock was thrown off and the weapon made ready to discharge.

British Dictionary definitions for safety catch

safety catch

noun
  1. a device to prevent the accidental operation of a mechanism, e.g. in a firearm or lift

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012