safety net
noun
a large net rigged between a person, as a trapeze performer, and the ground as protection in a fall.
something that provides a margin of protection or security: the safety net of federal credit for financial institutions.
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RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
safety lens, safety lintel, safety lock, safety man, safety match, safety net, safety pin, safety razor, safety squeeze, safety touch, safety valve
Origin of safety net
First recorded in 1945–50
Related formssafe·ty-net, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for safety net
Similarly, his call for capping spending at 20 percent of GDP also would mean deep cuts in safety-net programs.
British Dictionary definitions for safety net
safety net
noun
a net used in a circus to catch high-wire and trapeze artistes if they fall
any means of protection from hardship or loss, such as insurance
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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