safer
safer — noun
- safersingular
- safersplural
1. a metal box or cabinet with a strong lock, used to store money, important docume
a metal box or cabinet with a strong lock, used to store money, important documents, or valuable items
Talia keeps her grandmother's gold ring in the safe at home.
The hotel room has a small safe where guests can lock their passports and cash.
collocation: hotel safe / room safe
The jeweller placed the diamonds in the safe before closing for the night.
There is a hidden safe behind the painting in the old library.
The bank manager opened the large safe to check the deposit boxes inside.
文法句型
a/the safe
safes (plural)
用法筆記
Countable noun: one safe, two safes. The plural is spelled safes (not saves). The noun is often used in compounds such as safecracker and safe-deposit box.
常見錯誤
2. a thin rubber covering worn on the penis during sex to prevent pregnancy or the
a thin rubber covering worn on the penis during sex to prevent pregnancy or the spread of disease
The clinic gives out free safes to young people as part of their health programme.
collocation: free safes at clinics
Jiwoo bought a packet of safes at the pharmacy near his apartment.
Many couples use safes as their main method of birth control.
The nurse showed the students how to put on a safe correctly.
Piotr always keeps a safe in his bedside drawer just in case.
- condom
the standard term in formal and medical English
- prophylactic
formal medical term, less common in everyday speech
文法句型
a safe
safes (plural)
use a safe
用法筆記
Informal British English. In formal writing or medical contexts, the word condom is preferred over safe.
常見錯誤
safer — adjective
- saferpositive
- saferercomparative
- saferestsuperlative
1. not in a situation where you could be hurt, harmed, or have something taken from
not in a situation where you could be hurt, harmed, or have something taken from you.
The children are safe inside the house during the storm.
predicative: be + safe + in + [place]
Keep your passport in a safe place where no one can steal it.
attributive: safe + [noun] (safe place)
Zola felt safe from the cold wind inside the warm cabin.
The firefighter said the family was safe and did not need to leave.
Isabela locked the door to make sure her grandmother was safe at home.
- secure
more formal; emphasises being firmly protected against attack or loss
- protected
focuses on the action of someone or something keeping you from harm
- out of danger
used specifically after a dangerous situation has passed
文法句型
safe + from + [danger/threat]
safe + in + [place]
用法筆記
Commonly used with 'from' to specify the danger avoided, or with 'in' to specify a protected location.
常見錯誤
2. having come through a dangerous or difficult event without being hurt or damaged
having come through a dangerous or difficult event without being hurt or damaged.
All the passengers were pulled from the crashed bus safe and without a scratch.
predicative use after rescue/crisis
The cat climbed down from the tree safe, to everyone's great relief.
Rin called her mother to say she was safe after the earthquake.
The hikers were lost for two nights but were found safe by the search team.
Lakshmi checked that all her friends were safe after the flood warnings ended.
文法句型
safe after + [event]
safe despite + [danger]
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 (FREE FROM DANGER), this sense is always predicative — you cannot say 'a safe passenger' to mean an unharmed one. It focuses on the outcome after a dangerous event.
常見錯誤
3. completely free from injury, damage, or loss, especially after a worrying period
completely free from injury, damage, or loss, especially after a worrying period when someone was missing or in danger.
The little girl was found safe and sound in the forest after a three-hour search.
fixed phrase: safe and sound
Jin texted his family to say he had arrived safe and sound.
After the boat nearly capsized, every sailor reached the shore safe and sound.
The package arrived safe and sound despite the rough handling during the journey.
- safe and sound
the most common set phrase for this sense; emphasises both security and good condition
文法句型
safe and sound
arrive safe
be found safe and well
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (NOT HARMED): sense 2 is a simple statement that someone was not hurt. This sense adds emotional weight — a period of worry or uncertainty preceded the discovery that the person or thing was safe. The fixed phrase 'safe and sound' is the most common expression.
4. not presenting any danger; unable to hurt people or damage things.
not presenting any danger; unable to hurt people or damage things.
Is this water safe to drink straight from the tap?
safe + to-infinitive: safe to drink / safe to use
The wooden toys are painted with safe colours that will not hurt children.
attributive: safe + [noun] for harmless things
The doctor said the medicine was safe for pregnant women to take.
Anya checked that the playground equipment was safe before letting the children play.
The beach is safe for swimming because there are no strong currents.
文法句型
safe for + [person/animal]
safe to + [verb]
safe enough
常見錯誤
5. designed or intended to protect valuable things so that they cannot be lost, sto
designed or intended to protect valuable things so that they cannot be lost, stolen, or damaged.
Keep your jewellery in a safe box at the hotel during your trip.
attributive: safe + [container]
The museum keeps the ancient paintings in a safe room with special locks.
Nora put her passport in a safe drawer so it would not get lost.
The bank promised that customers' money would be kept in a safe place.
文法句型
a safe + [container/place]
keep [something] safe
常見錯誤
6. not involving much risk of loss, failure, or unpleasant results; likely to produ
not involving much risk of loss, failure, or unpleasant results; likely to produce a good outcome without surprises.
Buying government bonds is considered a safe investment for most people.
attributive: safe + [financial noun]
It is safe to say that the project will be finished before the deadline.
fixed phrase: it is safe to say that...
Kabir chose the safe option and took the train instead of driving in the snow.
The hotel was a safe choice because many families had recommended it online.
Zayd made a safe estimate of the costs and added a little extra for emergencies.
文法句型
a safe + [choice/bet/option/assumption]
it is safe to say
用法筆記
This sense often appears in decision-making contexts. Unlike sense 1 (FREE FROM DANGER), the risk here is not physical harm but financial loss, wasted effort, or embarrassment. The phrase 'it is safe to say' is a common fixed expression for making a confident statement.
常見錯誤
7. describing a political constituency or elected position where one party is almos
describing a political constituency or elected position where one party is almost certain to win because voters in that area have consistently supported it for a long period
The constituency of Middleton has been a safe seat for the Conservative Party since the 1980s.
safe seat — fixed phrase for a reliably winnable constituency
Young candidates rarely win in a safe seat unless the sitting member decides to retire.
The party was shocked when their safe seat was won by an independent candidate.
Political parties usually spend less money campaigning in safe seats than in closely contested ones.
After the boundary changes, the area became a safer seat for the Liberal Democrats than before.
- unassailable
more formal; suggests the seat cannot be lost under any circumstances
- secure
slightly broader; can describe any position that is not under threat
- marginal
describes a seat where the result could easily go either way
- vulnerable
describes a seat that the current holder might lose
文法句型
a safe + noun (seat / constituency)
用法筆記
Commonly used in British political journalism. The seat itself is described as safe, not the candidate. Distinguished from senses 1—6 because this sense has nothing to do with physical danger or protection.
常見錯誤
8. in baseball, describing a batter or runner who gets to a base without the other
in baseball, describing a batter or runner who gets to a base without the other team tagging them before they arrive
The umpire shouted 'Safe!' as the runner slid into second base ahead of the ball.
umpire's call: 'Safe!' — fixed baseball expression
Ananya was called safe at home plate after a close play that the crowd loudly disputed.
With two outs, every safe arrival at first base would score a run for the team.
A runner is safe if any body part touches the base before the defender tags them.
- out
the opposite call — the runner has been tagged before reaching the base
文法句型
be safe
be safe at [base]
用法筆記
Used only after a linking verb (predicative position) — you cannot say 'a safe runner' with this meaning. The opposite call is 'out.' Also used as a single-word exclamation by the umpire.
9. describing a person, choice, or thing that you can trust and feel confident abou
describing a person, choice, or thing that you can trust and feel confident about because they are reliable, honest, or carefully considered
The committee agreed that Dr. Okafor was a safe choice for the position of department head.
collocation: a safe choice
My grandmother said that Ms. Chen was a safe pair of hands who could handle any situation.
idiomatic: a safe pair of hands
Putting your savings in government bonds is considered a safe option for people who dislike taking risks.
The children felt safe with Aunt Rosa because she always kept her promises and never lost her temper.
Investors consider gold a safe asset during periods of economic uncertainty around the world.
- reliable
more general; focuses on dependability rather than wisdom of choice
- trustworthy
stronger emphasis on honesty and integrity
- dependable
similar to reliable but often used for people in routine roles
- risky
describes a choice that might fail or cause problems
- unreliable
describes a person who cannot be trusted to do what they promise
文法句型
a safe + noun (choice / option / pair of hands)
用法筆記
Frequently placed before a noun (attributive position) — 'a safe choice,' 'a safe pair of hands.' Distinguished from senses 1—6 because this sense does not relate to physical safety from harm or danger, but to trust, reliability, and low risk in decision-making.
常見錯誤
10. used in informal conversation to express agreement with a suggestion or satisfac
used in informal conversation to express agreement with a suggestion or satisfaction with a plan, often as a single-word reply
'Let's meet at six instead of five.' 'Safe — I'll see you then,' said Jack.
single-word informal response: 'Safe.'
'I've reserved a table for seven o'clock at the Thai restaurant.' 'Safe, that sounds great,' replied Sofia.
'I can send you the documents by email this afternoon.' 'Safe, thanks,' Omar said with a nod.
'We are going to the beach tomorrow if the weather is good.' 'Safe,' Elena answered with a smile.
'The hotel has a pool and a gym.' 'Safe, that works for me,' said Theo.
文法句型
used as a one-word response
用法筆記
Distinguished from sense 9 (TRUSTWORTHY) because this sense is a conversational marker rather than a description of a person or thing. Commonly used in British youth speech and casual workplace chat. Not used in formal writing or polite requests.