from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Safety \Safe"ty\, n. [Cf. F. sauvet['e].]
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]