safety Hear it!

safety definition

safety (sāf′tē)

noun pl. safeties -·ties

  1. the quality or condition of being safe; freedom from danger, injury, or damage; security
  2. any of certain devices for preventing an accident or an undesirable effect; specif.,
    1. a catch or locking device on a firearm that prevents it from firing
      also safety catch or safety lock
    2. Slang a condom
  3. ☆ Baseball base hit
  4. ☆ Football
    1. a play in which the defensive team is awarded two points as by tackling the offensive ball carrier behind the offensive team's goal line
    2. a defensive back who is primarily responsible for covering pass receivers in the middle of the defensive backfield

Etymology: ME sauvete < MFr sauveté < OFr salvetet < ML salvitas, safety < L salvus: see safe

adjective

giving safety; reducing danger or harm

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

safety Synonyms

safety

n.

  1. Freedom from danger

    security, protection, impregnability, surety, sanctuary, refuge, shelter, invulnerability.

  2. *A lock

    lock mechanism, safetycatch, safety lock; see fastener, lock 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

safety Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • improve: The review group has published an interim report outlining a number of recommendations to improve the safety of the event in 2001.

Preposition: in

  • workplace: Guidance On Fire Safety At Work This section provides useful sources of information on fire safety in the workplace.

Adjective modifier

  • electrical: They will also offer advice on electrical safety, trip hazards and how to prevent other injuries in the home.

Modifies a noun

  • rep: The Fire Service should encourage greater involvement of the safety reps at the beginning of the risk assessment process.

Noun used with modifier

  • road: The posters depict road safety messages themed around the four seasons.
safety usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

safety quotes

The Canadians seem to be held together with string and safety pins.

-Acheson, Dean Gooderham

With a nation, as with a boxer, one of the greatest assurances of safety is to add reach to power.

-Acheson, Dean Gooderham

Oh, the holiness of always being the injured party. The historically oppressed can find not only sanctity but safety in the state of victimization.When access to a better life has been denied often enough, and successfully enough, one can use the rejection as an excuse to cease all efforts.

-Angelou, Maya originally MayaJohnson

safety quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"safety." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/safety>

APA Style

safety. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/safety

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