Etimology
From Middle English sauf, safe, saf, saaf, from Old French sauf, saulf, salf (“safe”), from Latin salvus (“whole, safe”), from Proto-Italic *salwos, from Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- (“whole, every”). Displaced native Old English sicor (secure, sure).
adjective
safe (comparative safer or more safe, superlative safest or most safe)
Not in danger; out of harm's reach.
Free from risk.
Providing protection from danger; providing shelter.
(baseball) When 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.
(snooker, of an object ball) In a location that renders it difficult to pot.
Properly secured.
(used after a noun, often forming a compound) Not susceptible to a specified source of harm.
(UK, slang) Great, cool, awesome, respectable; a term of approbation, often as interjection.
(slang) Lenient, usually describing a teacher that is easy-going.
Reliable; trusty.
Cautious.
(programming) Of a programming language, type-safe or more generally offering well-defined behavior despite programming errors.
Examples
You’ll be safe here.
Synonyms: riskless, harmless
Antonyms: harmful, dangerous
It’s safe to eat this.
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.
We have to find a safe spot, where we can hide out until this is over.
The pitcher attempted to pick off the runner at first, but he was safe.
Synonym: secure
Hyponyms: binary-safe, fail-safe, thread-safe, type-safe
The documents are safe.
dishwasher-safe
Synonyms: wicked, cool; see also Thesaurus:awesome
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
Young Mal: Yu can’t. Irie means yer cool, yer safe, everything awright.
“If you need more, just ring, yeah?” Punch said. “Safe,” Brian answered.
They end the call. Fami goes over to Paul. They touch hands.¶ Femi: Yeah, safe man.
“Yeah, safe mate, wassup?” says one hoodie, who should at least be credited with attempting a more detailed sentence construction.
Dom : Hey, love the photos. They're just so—Nathan : Safe.
Synonyms: easy-going, merciful, tolerant, lenient
Antonyms: strict, harsh, intolerant
Synonym: trustworthy
Related words
antonyms
unsafe
noun
safe (plural safes)
A box, usually made of metal, in which valuables can be locked for safekeeping.
(slang) A condom.
(dated) A ventilated or refrigerated chest or closet for securing provisions from noxious animals or insects.
(dated, colloquial) A safety bicycle.
Examples
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!
She'd better have an arsenal of Trojans in her purse just in case he wasn't carrying a safe in his back pocket.
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.
Related words
synonyms
(box for storing valuables): coffer, lockbox, strongbox
(condom): see also Thesaurus:condom.
hyponyms
failsafe
verb
safe (third-person singular simple present safes, present participle safing, simple past and past participle safed)
(transitive) To make something safe.
Examples
“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.”
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 […]