safe

comparative safer · comparative more safe · superlative safest · superlative most safe

1. Not in danger; out of harm's reach.

   You’ll be safe from the storm here in the cabin.

2. Free from risk.

   It’s safe to eat this berry.

   3 more examples

   In fact, in presenting the home life of these people I have been at some pains to avoid the extreme of privation, taking the cases just as they came to hand on the safer middle-ground of average earnings.

   1890, Jacob A[ugust] Riis, “The Sweaters of Jewtown”, in How the Other Half Lives: Studies among the Tenements of New York, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 133

   When Timothy and Julia hurried up the staircase to the bedroom floor, where a considerable commotion was taking place, Tim took Barry Leach with him. He had him gripped firmly by the arm, since he felt it was not safe to let him loose, and he had no immediate idea what to do with him.

   1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC

   Probably the safest and easiest 'tool' that you can use to get off your rusty-dusty and follow your choice of exercise routine.

   2012, D.B. Myers, The BodyWise Health System, page 37

   Synonyms: riskless, harmless · Antonyms: harmful, dangerous

3. Providing protection from danger; providing shelter.

   We have to find a safe spot, where we can hide out until this is over.

4. ball gamesWhen a batter successfully reaches first base, or when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base or returns to the base he last occupied; not out.

   The pitcher attempted to pick off the runner at first, but he was safe.

5. ball gamesIn a location that renders it difficult to pot.
6. Properly secured.

   The documents are safe inside the cabbinet.

   Synonyms: secure

7. often forming a compoundNot susceptible to a specified source of harm.

   dishwasher-safe

8. UKslangGreat, cool, awesome, respectable; a term of approbation, often as interjection.

   Young Mal: Yu can’t. Irie means yer cool, yer safe, everything awright.

   1996 or 1997, Roy Williams, Plays 1: The No Boys Cricket Club / Startstruck / Lift Off, Methuen, published 2002, →ISBN, page 165

   5 more examples

   and you also forgot to mentioned^([sic]) the wheels man you know bmw playing / ragga jungle hip hop tunes / and on the mobile / yeah safe! / nice one / later

   1996 August 12, "Mandrake", “Re: Multiple Messages - an apology”, in uk.people.gothic (Usenet)

   “If you need more, just ring, yeah?” Punch said. “Safe,” Brian answered.

   2000, Teddy Hayes, Dead by Popular Demand, Justin, Charles & Co., published 2005, →ISBN, Chapter 14, page 134

   They end the call. Fami goes over to Paul. They touch hands.¶ Femi: Yeah, safe man.

   2002, Danny Braverman, Playing a Part: Drama and Citizenship, Trentham Books, →ISBN, One Thursday — a short play, page 62

   “Yeah, safe mate, wassup?” says one hoodie, who should at least be credited with attempting a more detailed sentence construction.

   2013, Steve Carter, Love, Sex and Tesco's Finest Cava, →ISBN, page 169

   Dom (David Jonsson): Hey, love the photos. They're just so— Nathan (Simon Manyonda): Safe.

   2023, Nathan Bryon, Tom Melia, directed by Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane

   Synonyms: wicked, cool, amazing, astounding, awe-inspiring, awesome, awful, sensational

9. UKlawSupported by evidence and unlikely to be overturned. Usually used in the negative, as unsafe.

   It is clear that this is not a safe conviction.

10. slangLenient, usually describing a teacher that is easy-going.

    Synonyms: easygoing, merciful, tolerant, clement, easygoing, forbearing, indulgent, lax · Antonyms: strict, harsh, intolerant

11. Reliable; trusty.

    safe food

    Synonyms: trustworthy

12. Certain; sure.

    "He's safe to be hanged, an' that, all in an' out, when they recovred there senses an' ther tongue, offert to make affidavid on, if they were askt upon oath."

    2023 May 3 [????], William Hamilton Maxwell, Erin-go-Bragh: Vol. I, BoD – Books on Demand, →ISBN, page 318

    1 more example

    "[…] so if you think he is at the infirmary, I'll make my way there." "He's safe to be there, my lad, because he's house surgeon to the infirmary, and they do say he's a very clever one."

    1883, Emma Raymond Pitman, Florence Godfrey's Faith: A Story of Australian Life, page 137

13. Cautious.
14. computingOf a programming language, type-safe or more generally offering well-defined behavior despite programming errors.

plural safes

1. A box, usually made of metal, in which valuables can be locked for safekeeping.

   The small-timers, as he put it, kept their currency in their homes, in safes, in false ceilings, under beds. When necessary, our tax people know where to look. The big-timers, however, use Swiss banks.

   1992, Shashi Tharoor, Show Business: A Novel, page 144

   Synonyms: coffer, lockbox, strongbox

2. slangA condom.

   She'd better have an arsenal of Trojans in her purse just in case he wasn't carrying a safe in his back pocket.

   1999, Rita Ciresi, Pink Slip, Delta, published 1999, →ISBN, page 328

   1 more example

   Condoms ARE available, on the underground market, at the outrageous price of ten dollars a piece! Now, I do not mind paying ten bucks for a good piece, as well as some peace of mind, but even the mere possession of these 'safes' is a disciplinary offense!

   1989 August 19, Gerard L. Ready, “Possessing A Condom Is An Offense!”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 6, page 4

   Synonyms: condom, cum catcher, rubber

3. datedA ventilated or refrigerated chest or closet for securing provisions from noxious animals or insects.

   The other room was a kitchen, with an open fireplace, a safe, a dresser and a tin sink, with a tap from the tank outside.

   1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 29

4. colloquialdatedA safety bicycle.

present singular third person safes · participle present safing · participle past safed · past safed

1. transitiveTo make something safe.

   One of the most important events after touchdown will be to safe the Dauntless, which will include purging the engines and shutting down the landing systems […]

   2012, Erik Seedhouse, Interplanetary Outpost

   1 more example

   “It just trails behind the pylon until I land, then Cramer removes it when he safes the rocket pods. No evidence of anything when I taxi back inside the compound.”

   2007, Rocky Raab, Mike Five Eight: Air War Over Cambodia: Air War Over Cambodia

1. An unincorporated community in Maries County, Missouri, United States.

1. European UnionabbreviationacronymAcronym of Security Action for Europe.

   EU countries have in principle agreed on the proposals for a 150 billion euro ($168.3 billion) fund aimed at boosting Europe's defence, known as Security Action for Europe (SAFE), an EU diplomat said on Monday.

   2025 May 19, “EU countries agree on big defence fund, diplomat says”, in Reuters

2. abbreviationacronymAcronym of State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

   Direct investment liabilities, a measure of FDI reflected in a country’s balance of payments, fell to just $4.9 billion in the April to June months, down 87% from a year earlier, according to data published by SAFE last month. That was the lowest amount in any quarter since records began in 1998.

   2023 September 19, Laura He, “China woos Tesla, JP Morgan and other Western companies as foreign investment slumps”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 26 Jul 2025