safety

[seyf-tee]

noun

plural

safeties 

1. the state of being safe; freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss.

2. the quality of averting or not causing injury, danger, or loss.

3. a contrivance or device to prevent injury or avert danger.

4. Also called lock, safety catch, safety lock. a locking or cutoff device that prevents a gun from being fired accidentally.

5. the action of keeping safe.

6. Football.

   1. an act or play in which a player on the offensive team is tackled in his own end zone or downs the ball there, or in which the ball goes out of bounds on a fumble, having last been in bounds in or over the end zone and having last been in the possession of an offensive player.

   2. an award of two points to the opposing team on this play.

   3. Also called safety man. a player on defense who lines up farthest behind the line of scrimmage.

7. Baseball.,  a base hit, especially a one-base hit.

8. Slang.,  a condom.

9. Obsolete.,  close confinement or custody.

safety

/ ˈseɪftɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being safe

2. freedom from danger or risk of injury

3. a contrivance or device designed to prevent injury

4. American football

   1. Also called: safetyman. either of two players who defend the area furthest back in the field

   2. a play in which the offensive team causes the ball to cross its own goal line and then grounds the ball behind that line, scoring two points for the opposing team Compare touchback

Other Word Forms

• self-safety noun
• supersafety noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of safety¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sauvete, from Middle French; equivalent to safe + -ty ²

Example Sentences

According to TikTok, its teen accounts include more than 50 safety and privacy settings, including content restrictions and a 60-minute screen limit.

Read more on BBC

But she added, she has now found "so much safety" in the TikTok beauty world.

Read more on BBC

After last month's meeting, priorities are "accelerating innovation in strategic technologies and reinforcing domestic demand through structural improvements in income distribution and social safety nets", the report said.

Read more on Barron's

While interviewing residents, Johnson asserted that local government is diverting money that should be used for public safety and immigration enforcement.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Three days later, Fischgrund sent a message to the corrections department’s headquarters concerning her safety and policies to protect staff.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• freedom 
• security