safe

[ seyf ]

/ seɪf /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR safe ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, saf·er, saf·est.

secure from liability to harm, injury, danger, or risk: a safe place.

free from hurt, injury, danger, or risk: to arrive safe and sound.

involving little or no risk of mishap, error, etc.: a safe estimate.

dependable or trustworthy: a safe guide.

careful to avoid danger or controversy: a safe player; a safe play.

denied the chance to do harm; in secure custody: a criminal safe in jail.

Baseball.

reaching base without being put out: safe on the throw to first base.
making it possible to reach a base: a safe slide.

adverb

Informal. in a safe manner; safely: Learn how to drive safe.See Grammar note at adverb.

noun

a steel or iron box or repository for money, jewels, papers, etc.

any receptacle or structure for the storage or preservation of articles: a meat safe.

(in plumbing)

a pan for catching leakage.
template(def 7).

Slang. a condom.

RELATED WORDS

carefully, cautiously, guardedly

Nearby words

safari park, safari shirt, safari suit, safavid, safawid, safe, safe and sound, safe area, safe as houses, safe conduct, safe deposit box

Idioms

play it safe, play(def 85).

Origin of safe

1250–1300; (adj.) Middle English sauf, saf < Anglo-French saf, Old French sauf < Latin salvus intact, whole; (noun) late Middle English save, orig. derivative of save¹, assimilated to the adj.; cf. salvation

SYNONYMS FOR safe

1 protected, sound, guarded. Safe, secure may both imply that something can be regarded as free from danger. These words are frequently interchangeable. Safe, however, is applied rather to a person or thing that is out of or has passed beyond the reach of danger: The ship is safe in port. Secure is applied to that about which there is no need to fear or worry: to feel secure about the future; The foundation of the house does not seem very secure.

4 sure, reliable.

5 wary, careful.

9 strongbox, coffer, chest, safe-deposit box.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR safe ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

safe·ly, adverbsafe·ness, nounqua·si-safe, adjectivequa·si-safe·ly, adverb

su·per·safe, adjectivesu·per·safe·ly, adverbsu·per·safe·ness, nounul·tra·safe, adjectiveun·safe, adjectiveun·safe·ly, adverbun·safe·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for safely

The Affordable Care Act is safely embedded, with repeal unlikely even with a freshly minted Republican Senate.
Obama’s One Hand Clap With Castro|Doug McIntyre|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When you are safely out, you give your password to the smuggler who calls it in to the broker to release the funds.
Inside the Smuggling Networks Flooding Europe with Refugees|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We sought out the one man who could safely guide us in and out of the Korengal Valley: Zalwar Khan.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban Valley|Matt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While that cause may be safely discarded, the correct one is hard to pin down.
The True Story of ‘The Elephant Man’|Russell Saunders|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

However, there was always an understanding that the 'due month' would be released after Kate had safely passed the 12-week mark.
Royal Baby Due In April|Tom Sykes|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So he convoyed them safely into port and would not take even the smallest present, in recompense for his services.
Famous Privateersmen and Adventurers of the Sea|Charles H. L. Johnston
Dead, even in name, many of them, or else safely embalmed in the musty pages of some old history seldom read.
Gardens of the Caribbees, v. 1/2|Ida May Hill Starr
I wished fervently at that instant that the ten days of this voyage were over and we were safely at Ferrok-Shahn.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, March 1930|Various
He had an old aunt to whom he could safely entrust his belongings.
The Strange Story of Rab Rby|Mr Jkai
Two of the band managed to escape that night, but the other fourteen were safely lodged in prison.
The Fugitives|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for safely

safe

/ (seɪf) /

adjective

affording security or protection from harma safe place

(postpositive) free from dangeryou'll be safe here

secure from risk; certain; sounda safe investment; a safe bet

worthy of trust; prudenta safe companion

tending to avoid controversy or riska safe player

unable to do harm; not dangerousa criminal safe behind bars; water safe to drink

British informal excellent

on the safe side as a precaution

adverb

in a safe conditionthe children are safe in bed now

play safe to act in a way least likely to cause danger, controversy, or defeat

noun

a strong container, usually of metal and provided with a secure lock, for storing money or valuables

a small ventilated cupboard-like container for storing food

US and Canadian a slang word for condom

Derived Formssafely, adverbsafeness, noun

Word Origin for safe

C13: from Old French salf, from Latin salvus; related to Latin salus safety

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

Word Origin and History for safely (1 of 3)

safely

adv.

late 13c., "without risk; without harm;" mid-14c., "without risk of error," from safe (adj.) + -ly (2).

Word Origin and History for safely (1 of 3)

safe

adj.

c.1300, "unscathed, unhurt, uninjured; free from danger or molestation, in safety, secure; saved spiritually, redeemed, not damned;" from Old French sauf "protected, watched-over; assured of salvation," from Latin salvus "uninjured, in good health, safe," related to salus "good health," saluber "healthful," all from PIE *solwos from root *sol- "whole" (cf. Latin solidus "solid," Sanskrit sarvah "uninjured, intact, whole," Avestan haurva- "uninjured, intact," Old Persian haruva-, Greek holos "whole").

As a quasi-preposition from c.1300, on model of French and Latin cognates. From late 14c. as "rescued, delivered; protected; left alive, unkilled." Meaning "not exposed to danger" (of places) is attested from late 14c.; of actions, etc., "free from risk," first recorded 1580s. Meaning "sure, reliable, not a danger" is from c.1600. Sense of "conservative, cautious" is from 1823. Paired alliteratively with sound (adj.) from late 14c. The noun safe-conduct (late 13c.) is from Old French sauf-conduit (13c.).

Word Origin and History for safely (2 of 3)

safe

"chest for keeping food or valuables," early 15c., save, from Middle French en sauf "in safety," from sauf (see safe (adj.)). Spelling with -f- first recorded 1680s, from influence of safe (adj.).

Idioms and Phrases with safely

safe

In addition to the idioms beginning with safe

safe and sound
safe as houses

also see:

better safe than sorry
on the safe side
play it safe

safe

adjective, saf·er, saf·est.

adverb

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of safe

Examples from the Web for safely

British Dictionary definitions for safely

safe

adjective

adverb

noun

Word Origin for safe

Word Origin and History for safely (1 of 3)

safely

Word Origin and History for safely (1 of 3)

safe

Word Origin and History for safely (2 of 3)

safe

Idioms and Phrases with safely

safe