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safe

Flag: gbEnglishOxford Dictionary of English
safe /seɪf /
▸ adjective
1 [predicative] protected from or not exposed to danger or risk; not likely to be harmed or lost:
eggs remain in the damp sand, safe from marine predators
she felt safe with him.
▪ not likely to cause or lead to harm or injury; not involving danger or risk:
we have to cross the river where it's safe for us to do so
a safe investment that produced regular income.
▪ (of a place) affording security or protection:
put it in a safe place.
2 often derogatory cautious and unenterprising:
MacGregor would be a compromise, the safe choice.
3 based on good reasons or evidence and not likely to be proved wrong:
the verdict is safe and satisfactory
his world, it's safe to say, will not fall apart.
4 uninjured; with no harm done:
they had returned safe and sound
hopes of her safe return later faded.
5 informal excellent (used to express approval or enthusiasm):
that shirt is real safe.
▸ noun
1 a strong fireproof cabinet with a complex lock, used for the storage of valuables.
2 North American English informal a condom.
– PHRASES
safe in the knowledge that confident because of the specified fact:
they used to recruit hundreds a year, safe in the knowledge that many would leave.
to be on the safe side
in order to have a margin of security against risks:
to be on the safe side, she had recorded everything.
– DERIVATIVES
safeness /ˈseɪfnɪs / noun
– ORIGIN Middle English (as an adjective): from Old French sauf, from Latin salvus ‘uninjured’. The noun is from the verb save1, later assimilated to the adjectival form.