{ } n. [ Asa + L. foetidus fetid. ] The fetid gum resin or inspissated juice of a large umbelliferous plant (Ferula asafoetida) of Persia and the East Indies. It is used in medicine as an antispasmodic. [ Written also assafoetida. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make safe. [ Obs. ] Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Insecurity; danger. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Safer superl. Safest. ] [ OE. sauf, F. sauf, fr. L. salvus, akin to salus health, welfare, safety. Cf. Salute, Salvation, Sage a plant, Save, Salvo an exception. ] 1. Free from harm, injury, or risk; untouched or unthreatened by danger or injury; unharmed; unhurt; secure; whole; as, safe from disease; safe from storms; safe from foes. “And ye dwelled safe.” 1 Sam. xii. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

They escaped all safe to land. Acts xxvii. 44. [ 1913 Webster ]

Established in a safe, unenvied throne. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Conferring safety; securing from harm; not exposing to danger; confining securely; to be relied upon; not dangerous; as, a safe harbor; a safe bridge, etc. “The man of safe discretion.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The King of heaven hath doomed
This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Incapable of doing harm; no longer dangerous; in secure care or custody; as, the prisoner is safe. [ 1913 Webster ]

But Banquo's safe?
Ay, my good lord, safe in a ditch he bides. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Safe hit (Baseball), a hit which enables the batter to get to first base even if no error is made by the other side. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Secure; unendangered; sure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A place for keeping things in safety. Specifically: (a) A strong and fireproof receptacle (as a movable chest of steel, etc., or a closet or vault of brickwork) for containing money, valuable papers, or the like. (b) A ventilated or refrigerated chest or closet for securing provisions from noxious animals or insects. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To render safe; to make right. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Safe + conduct: cf. F. sauf-conduit. ] That which gives a safe passage; either (a) a convoy or guard to protect a person in an enemy's country or a foreign country, or (b) a writing, pass, or warrant of security, given to a person to enable him to travel with safety. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To conduct safely; to give safe-conduct to. [ Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He him by all the bonds of love besought
To safe-conduct his love. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Safe = guard: cf. F. sauvegarde. ] 1. One who, or that which, defends or protects; defense; protection. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy sword, the safeguard of thy brother's throne. Granville. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A convoy or guard to protect a traveler or property. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A pass; a passport; a safe-conduct. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To guard; to protect. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Safe + keep. ] The act of keeping or preserving in safety from injury or from escape; care; custody. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a safe manner; danger, injury, loss, or evil consequences. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being safe; freedom from hazard, danger, harm, or loss; safety; security; as the safeness of an experiment, of a journey, or of a possession. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Law) A surety for the appearance of a person at a given time. Bracton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. sauveté. ] 1. The condition or state of being safe; freedom from danger or hazard; exemption from hurt, injury, or loss. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Freedom from whatever exposes one to danger or from liability 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Would there were any safety in thy sex,
That I might put a thousand sorrows off,
And credit thy repentance! Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Preservation from escape; close custody. [ 1913 Webster ]

Imprison him, . . .
Deliver him to safety; and return. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Amer. Football) the act or result of a ball-carrier on the offensive team being tackled behind his own goal line, or the downing of a ball behind the offensive team's own goal line when it had been carried or propelled behind that goal line by a player on the offensive tream; such a play causes a score of two points to be awarded to the defensive team; -- it is distinguished from touchback, when the ball is downed behind the goal after being propelled there or last touched by a player of the defending team. See Touchdown. Same as Safety touchdown, below. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

5. Short for Safety bicycle. [ archaic ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

6. a switch on a firearm that locks the trigger and prevents the firearm from being discharged unintentionally; -- also called safety catch, safety lock, or lock. [ archaic ] [ PJC ]

. A bicycle with equal or nearly equal wheels, usually about 28 inches diameter, driven by pedals connected to the rear (driving) wheel by a multiplying gear. Since the 1930's this has been the most common type of bicycle, now simply called bicycle. The older high-wheelers are often referred to as bone-rattlers. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

. (a) (Railroads) A normally slack chain for preventing excessive movement between a truck and a car body in sluing. (b) An auxiliary watch chain, secured to the clothes, usually out of sight, to prevent stealing of the watch. (c) A chain of sheet metal links with an elongated hole through each broad end, made up by doubling the first link on itself, slipping the next link through and doubling, and so on. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

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. Same as safety --
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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being in peril; absence of safety; insecurity. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

See obnoxious.
See observable.
See observant.
See obstructive.
See obvious.
See official.
See officious.
See oppressive.
See ordinary.
See ordinate.
See original.
See ornamental.
See orthodox.
See ostentatious.
See pacifiable.
See pacific.
See painful.
See palatable.
See parallelable.
See pardonable.
See partable.
See participant.
See passionate.
See pastoral.
See pathetic.
See patriotic.
See peaceable.
See peaceful.
See pedantic.
See perceivable.
See perceptible.
See perilous.
See permanent.
See personable.
See perspirable.
See persuadable.
See persuasive.
See philanthropic.
See philosophic.
See philosophical.
See physical.
See picturesque.
See pierceable.
See pitiful.
See plain.
See plausible.
See plausive.
See pleadable.
See pleasurable.
See pliable.
See pliant.
See plumb.
See poetic.
See poetical.
See political.
See popular.
See populous.
See portable.
See potable.
See precarious.
See precise.
See pregnant.
See prejudicate.
See prelatical.
See premeditable.
See presentable.
See preservable.
See presumptuous.
See pretentious.
See pretty.
See prevalent.
See priestly.
See primitive.
See princely.
See procurable.
See producible.
See productive.
See professional.
See profitable.
See prolific.
See pronounceable.
See prophetic.
See propitious.
See proportionable.
See proportionate.
See prosperous.
See provable.
See punctilious.
See punctual.
See punishable.
See pure.
See qualifiable.
See quenchable.
See quiet.
See rational.
See readable.
See reasonable.
See recallable.
See reclaimable.
See recognizable.
See reconcilable.
See recoverable.
See recumbent.
See reformable.
See refusable.
See regardable.
See regardant.
See relative.
See relievable.
See reluctant.
See remarkable.
See remediable.
See rememberable.
See remorseful.
See removable.
See remunerative.
See repairable.
See repealable.
See repentant.
See reprovable.
See repugnant.
See requisite.
See requitable.
See resolvable.
See respectable.
See restful.
See retentive.
See returnable.
See revengeful.
See ridable.
See ridiculous.
See rightful.
See romantic.
See rough.
See royal.
See ruinable.
See ruly.
See sacrificial.
See safe.
See sage.
See sailable.
See salable.
See sane.
See sanguine.
See sanitary.
See satisfactory.
See satisfiable.
See saturable.
See savory.
See scalable.
See scaly.
See scholarly.
See scholastic.
See scientific.
See scornful.
See scriptural.
See sculptural.
See seaworthy.
See sectarian.
See secular.
See sedentary.
See selfish.
See sentient.
See sentimental.
See serviceable.
See severe.
See shamefaced.
See shamefast.
See shapely.
See shy.
See sick.
See sicker.
See sightly.
See simple.
See sinewy.
See sizable.
See sleek.
See slumberous.
See sly.
See smooth.
See smotherable.
See smutty.
See sober.
See sociable.
See social.
See solemn.
See soliciutous.
See solvable.
See speakable.
See speedy.
See spiritual.
See spontaneous.
See sportful.
See sportsmanlike.
See statutable.
See steadfast.
See steady.
See stormy.
See stout.
See strong.
See subduable.
See subject.
See submissive.
See subordinate.
See substantial.
See successive.
See succorable.
See suggestive.
See suitable.
See sunny.
See superfluous.
See supple.
See sure.
See surpassable.
See susceptible.
See suspect.
See suspectable.
See suspicious.
See sustainable.
See sweet.
See syllogistical.
See symbolic.
See sympathetic.
See systematic.
See tamable.
See tame.
See teachable.
See technical.
See tellable.
See tenable.
See tender.
See terrestrial.
See terrific.
See thankful.
See theological.
See thinkable.
See thirsty.
See thorny.
See thoughtful.
See tidy.
See tillable.
See toothsome.
See touchable.
See traceable.
See tractable.
See tragic.
See tranquil.
See transferable.
See translatable.
See transmutable.
See transparent.
See transpassable.
See traversable.
See tremulous.
See trimphant.
See trustworthy.
See trusty.
See tumultous.
See tunable.
See uniform.
See usable.
See useful.
See vanquishable.
See variant.
See venerable.
See venomous.
See veracious.
See verdant.
See veritable.
See vigilant.
See vigorous.
See virtuous.
See vital.
See vitrifiable.
See vocal.
See voidable.
See voluptuous.
See voyageable.
See vulgar.
See walkable.
See warlike.
See watchful.
See watery.
See wealthy.
See wearable.
See weary.
See welcome.
See wet.
See wholesome.
See wieldsome.
See willful.
See wily.
See witty.
See womanly.
See workable.
See workmanlike.
See worldly.
See worshipful.
See wrathful.
See writable.
See zealous.
------ and the like.
[ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Vouchsafed p. pr. & vb. n. Vouchsafing. ] [ Vouch + safe, that is, to vouch or answer for safety. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To condescend to grant; to concede; to bestow. [ 1913 Webster ]

If ye vouchsafe that it be so. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shall I vouchsafe your worship a word or two? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is not said by the apostle that God vouchsafed to the heathens the means of salvation. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To receive or accept in condescension. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To condescend; to deign; to yield; to descend or stoop. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. Bk. of Com. Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vouchsafe, illustrious Ormond, to behold
What power the charms of beauty had of old. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of vouchsafing, or that which is vouchsafed; a gift or grant in condescension. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]