Category:Safety

Safe"ty, n. Etym: [cf. F. sauveté.]

1. The condition or state of being safe; freedom from danger or Hazard; exemption from hurt, injury, or loss. Up led by thee, into the heaven i have presumed, an earthly guest. . . With like safety guided down, return me to my native element. Milton.

2. Freedom from whatever exposes one to danger or from libility to Cause danger or harm; safeness; hence, the quality of making safe or Secure, or of giving confidence, justifying trust, insuring against Harm or loss, etc. Would there were any safety in thy sex, that i might put a thousand Sorrows off. Beau. & fl.

3. Preservation from escape; close custody. Imprison him,. . . Deliver him to safety; and return. Shak.

4. (football)

Defn: same as safety touchdown, below. Safety arch (arch.), a Discharging arch. See under discharge, v. t. -- safety belt, a belt made of some buoyant material, or which is Capable of being inflated, so as to enable a person to float in Water; a life preserver. -- safety buoy, a buoy to enable a person to float in water; a Safety belt. -- safety cage (mach.), a cage for an elevator or mine lift, having Appliances to prevent it from dropping if the lifting rope should Break. -- safety lamp. (mining) see under lamp. -- safety match, a match which can be ignited only on a surface Specially prepared for the purpose. -- safety pin, a pin made in the form of a clasp, with a guard Covering its point so that it will not prick the wearer. -- safety plug. See fusible plug, under fusible. -- safety switch. See switch. -- safety touchdown (football), the act or result of a player's Touching to the ground behind his own goal line a ball which received Its last impulse from a man on his own side; -- distinguished from Touchback. See touchdown. -- safety tube (chem.), a tube to prevent explosion, or to control Delivery of gases by an automatic valvular connection with the outer Air; especially, a bent funnel tube with bulbs for adding those Reagents which produce unpleasant fumes or violent effervescence. -- safety valve, a valve which is held shut by a spring or weight And opens automatically to permit the escape of steam, or confined Gas, water, etc., from a boiler, or other vessel, when the pressure Becomes too great for safety; also, sometimes, a similar valve Opening inward to admit air to a vessel in which the pressure is less Than that of the atmosphere, to prevent collapse.