safety

American  

[seyf-tee] / ˈseɪf ti /

noun

plural

safeties

1. the state of being safe; freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss.

2. the quality of averting or not causing injury, danger, or loss.

3. a contrivance or device to prevent injury or avert danger.

4. Also called lock, safety catch, safety lock.  a locking or cutoff device that prevents a gun from being fired accidentally.

5. the action of keeping safe.

6. Football.

   1. an act or play in which a player on the offensive team is tackled in his own end zone or downs the ball there, or in which the ball goes out of bounds on a fumble, having last been in bounds in or over the end zone and having last been in the possession of an offensive player.

   2. an award of two points to the opposing team on this play.

   3. Also called safety man.  a player on defense who lines up farthest behind the line of scrimmage.

7. Baseball. a base hit, especially a one-base hit.

8. Slang. a condom.

9. Obsolete. close confinement or custody.

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safety British  

/ ˈseɪftɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being safe

2. freedom from danger or risk of injury

3. a contrivance or device designed to prevent injury

4. American football

   1. Also called: safetyman.  either of two players who defend the area furthest back in the field

   2. a play in which the offensive team causes the ball to cross its own goal line and then grounds the ball behind that line, scoring two points for the opposing team Compare touchback

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Other Word Forms

• self-safety noun
• supersafety noun

Etymology

Origin of safety

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sauvete, from Middle French; equivalent to safe + -ty ²

Example Sentences

And pay Tony Jefferson, arguably one of the best safeties in the league last year.

From Los Angeles Times

"A school must be a place where children can attend classes in complete safety. Amsterdam must be a place where Jews can live in safety," she said.

From Barron's

Several, he says, didn't have safety kits, such as a transceiver to reveal their location or a shovel.

From BBC

"But they look more like a trap. This is clearly not a solution for ensuring the safety of my fellow citizens."

From Barron's

A safety car in the second half of the race closed the field up and shuffled the pack a little, briefly dropping Hamilton behind McLaren's Lando Norris.

From BBC

Related Words

• freedom
• security