Etymology 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 Old English sicor (“secure, sure”).
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:
2 more examples
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:
3
Providing protection from danger; providing shelter.
We have to find a safe spot, where we can hide out until this is over.
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Ball games, Baseball, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports 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.
The pitcher attempted to pick off the runner at first, but he was safe.
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Ball games, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Snooker, SportsOf an object ball In a location that renders it difficult to pot.
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Properly secured.
The documents are safe inside the cabbinet.
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Used after a noun Not susceptible to a specified source of harm.
Often forming a compound
dishwasher-safe
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UK, Slang Great, cool, awesome, respectable; a term of approbation, often as interjection.
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 / later1996 August 12, "Mandrake", “Re: Multiple Messages - an apology”, in uk.people.gothic (Usenet):
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:
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“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:
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LawUK, Of a conviction Supported by evidence and unlikely to be overturned. Usually used in the negative, as unsafe.
It is clear that this is not a safe conviction.
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Slang Lenient, usually describing a teacher that is easy-going.
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Reliable; trusty.
safe food
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Certain; sure.
"[…] 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:
"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:
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Cautious.
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Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Programming, Sciences Of a programming language, type-safe or more generally offering well-defined behavior despite programming errors.
Etymology 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 Old English sicor (“secure, sure”).
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:
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:
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:
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Dated A 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:
Etymology 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 Old English sicor (“secure, sure”).
1
To make something safe.
“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:
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: