safe

[seyf]

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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.

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

Related formssafe·ly, adverbsafe·ness, nounqua·si-safe, adjectivequa·si-safe·ly, adverbsu·per·safe, adjectivesu·per·safe·ly, adverbsu·per·safe·ness, nounul·tra·safe, adjectiveun·safe, adjectiveun·safe·ly, adverbun·safe·ness, noun

Synonyms for safe

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR safe ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

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

Related Words for safely

carefully, cautiously, guardedly

Examples from the Web for safely

Contemporary Examples of 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
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
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
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
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

Historical Examples of safely

The Ark of God would bear them safely when all material help failed.
The Conquest of Fear
Basil King
Yet he felt that the matter could not safely be left in the hands of Dick himself.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
We may indeed regard his friendship with Handel as safely authenticated.
Handel
Edward J. Dent
He boggled slightly as he came to the "adjective," but got over it safely.
In the Midst of Alarms
Robert Barr
In its surface he could safely look at the reflection of the Gorgon's face.
The Gorgon's Head
Nathaniel Hawthorne

British Dictionary definitions for safely

safe

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

adv.

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

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.).

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