safety

[ seyf-tee ]

noun

, plural safe·ties.

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. Compare touchback.
   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 calledsafetyman 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 Words From

• self-safety noun
• super·safety 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

“I am very clear that my No. 1 job as mayor is to keep people safe, and that the only way to improve safety in Los Angeles is to make change,” Bass said, adding that McDonnell is focused on “ensuring that our city is prepared for what is to come.”

From Los Angeles Times

“They are deeply intertwined. We must be true partners in the pursuit of justice, united by a shared commitment to safety and mutual respect.”

From Los Angeles Times

“They’re real people with real stories, survivors who bear the weight of crime long after the headlines disappeared. … For every statistic, there are lived experiences, people whose lives have been upended, whose sense of safety has been shattered.”

From Los Angeles Times

The National Transportation Safety Board did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

From Los Angeles Times

The American president is, after all, the commander in chief of the world’s most formidable fighting machine, and the figure ultimately responsible for the nation’s safety and security.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• freedom
• security