safest
safest — noun
- safestsingular
- safestsplural
1. a strong metal or steel box with a special lock, used for storing money, importa
a strong metal or steel box with a special lock, used for storing money, important documents, jewellery, or other valuable items so they are protected from theft or fire.
The safest place for your passport is inside a fireproof safe with a combination lock.
superlative: safest place + noun safe
Hotel rooms have a small safe where guests can store jewellery and cash during their stay.
Allison's grandfather kept the family documents in a wall safe hidden behind an old painting.
The shop manager opened the large safe and counted the evening's cash earnings.
A fire-rated safe is the safest option for keeping paper records safe from fire.
文法句型
safe + for + noun phrase
safe + behind/in/under
用法筆記
The noun 'safe' is a regular countable noun (singular 'safe', plural 'safes'). It is commonly described by compound adjectives for location or feature: wall safe, floor safe, fireproof safe. Often found in hotels, banks, and jewellery shops.
常見錯誤
2. a stretchy covering made of rubber material that a person puts onto their penis
a stretchy covering made of rubber material that a person puts onto their penis before having intercourse, used to prevent pregnancy or lower the risk of disease.
The clinic gives out free safes to anyone who asks at the reception desk.
informal register: free safes
Vikram always keeps a safe in his bedside drawer in case he needs one.
The campus nurse told Wei that a safe every time gives the safest protection.
Diego bought a pack of safes from the pharmacy near the train station.
At the community health workshop, the instructor showed the teenagers how to put on a safe correctly without tearing it.
- condom
standard neutral term; more common in formal contexts
- rubber
very informal, mainly American English
- prophylactic
formal medical term
文法句型
use a safe
carry a safe
用法筆記
This sense is informal. In formal or medical writing, the word 'condom' or 'prophylactic' is preferred. The plural form 'safes' is common.
常見錯誤
safest — adjective
- safestpositive
- more safestcomparative
- most safestsuperlative
1. kept away from danger so there is no risk of being hurt or harmed — the superlat
kept away from danger so there is no risk of being hurt or harmed — the superlative form of safe, describing a protected state before harm has occurred (not recovery from danger).
Bao thinks the safest neighbourhood in Taipei is the one with the most streetlights.
superlative: the safest neighbourhood + location phrase
The firefighter said that during a tornado the safest spot is a basement.
Of all the hiking trails near the village, the riverside path is the safest for young children.
Naoko always chooses the safest seat on the bus, right next to the driver.
After the earthquake the families moved to the safest areas outside the city.
文法句型
[Noun] + be the safest + [Noun]
feel the safest + [prepositional phrase]
用法筆記
Often used with 'feel' or 'be' when describing a person's sense of security — 'I feel safest at home.' Distinguish from sense 4 (NOT DANGEROUS), which describes activities or objects, not the person's own safety.
常見錯誤
2. no longer in danger; having reached a place where one is out of harm's way.
no longer in danger; having reached a place where one is out of harm's way.
After the storm passed, Ritu felt safest wrapped in a blanket with her family around her.
feel safest + past-participle clause describing the safe state
When the flood waters rose, the safest people in the village were those who had climbed to the hilltop shelter.
Diego said that the safest moment of the whole trip was when the plane finally landed.
The rescued puppy was finally in good hands and the vet said it was safe.
- in danger
still exposed to possible harm
文法句型
[Noun] + be safe
feel safe
[Noun] + arrive safe
用法筆記
Frequently used after verbs like 'arrive', 'return', 'emerge' to describe a successful outcome of a risky situation. Not used before nouns — you do not say 'a safe vase' to mean an undamaged vase (that is sense 3).
常見錯誤
3. not damaged, hurt, or lost despite being in a dangerous situation.
not damaged, hurt, or lost despite being in a dangerous situation.
After the roller coaster stopped, everyone was relieved to see that all the riders were safe and unharmed.
pattern: safe and unharmed — describing outcome after an experience
After the surgery the doctors confirmed that the patient was safe and recovering well.
During the storm, the safest hikers were those in the cave — completely dry and unharmed.
Gabriel checked the fragile package and was glad to see it had arrived safe despite the rough journey.
文法句型
[Noun] + be safe
emerge/come through + safe
4. not likely to cause injury, illness, or harm to anyone; unlikely to be dangerous
not likely to cause injury, illness, or harm to anyone; unlikely to be dangerous.
Dr. Femi said that walking is one of the safest forms of exercise for older adults.
superlative: 'one of the safest + [plural noun]'
The teacher chose the safest science experiment for the first day of class.
Cycling with a helmet is the safest way to ride a bike on busy city streets.
Swimming in the hotel pool is the safest activity for the children during the trip.
Takeshi checked that the playground equipment was safe before letting his daughter play on it.
文法句型
[Noun] + be safe + [prepositional phrase]
the safest + [Noun] + [prepositional phrase]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (NOT IN DANGER): sense 1 describes the person who is safe; sense 4 describes the activity, object, or situation that does not cause danger. 'The children are safe' (sense 1) vs 'The pool is safe' (sense 4).
常見錯誤
5. describes a place, container, or area designed to protect valuable items from be
describes a place, container, or area designed to protect valuable items from being stolen, lost, or damaged.
The hotel safe is the safest place to keep your passport and cash during your stay.
superlative: 'the safest place to keep + [objects]'
Kenji keeps his grandmother's ring in the safest drawer in the house, which has a strong lock.
The bank vault downtown is considered the safest location for storing important documents.
Selim asked the front desk if there was a safe place to leave his laptop while he went swimming.
- secure
more formal; often used for strongly protected locations like bank vaults or guarded buildings
- insecure
not well protected; easy to steal from
文法句型
a safe + [place noun]
the safest + [place noun] + [prepositional phrase]
用法筆記
Nearly always used with a location noun — safe 'place', 'spot', 'drawer', 'room', 'box'. Not used for people (a person is not 'safe' in this sense).
常見錯誤
6. involving little or no risk of loss, failure, or negative results; used when cho
involving little or no risk of loss, failure, or negative results; used when choosing a course of action that is unlikely to cause problems.
Investing in government bonds is considered one of the safest ways to save money.
superlative: 'one of the safest ways to + [infinitive]'
The committee chose the safest option for the school trip to avoid any accidents.
Ordering the roasted chicken is the safest choice if you have a sensitive stomach.
Putting extra money into a savings account is the safest financial decision for most families.
After comparing the interest rates, Yuki decided the safest choice was to put the savings into the fixed-term deposit account.
文法句型
the safest + [decision/choice/option/bet]
a safe + [noun]
常見錯誤
7. A safe seat or constituency is one where a particular political party is almost
A safe seat or constituency is one where a particular political party is almost certain to win the election because it has won there many times before, making it very unlikely that any other party will take it.
The Labour Party considers this one of its safest seats in the whole country.
one of the + safest + noun — superlative attributive pattern
For over thirty years, this constituency has been the safest Conservative seat in the northern region.
the safest + party + noun — attributive superlative
Party leaders rarely spend much time campaigning in safe seats because the result is already clear.
The MP for that safe constituency has won the last six elections without serious competition.
A by-election in a safe seat usually attracts very little national media attention.
- unassailable
more formal; describes a lead or position that cannot be overtaken, not limited to political seats
- marginal
describes a seat where the result is close and could go to either party
文法句型
safe + seat/constituency
the safest + noun
用法筆記
Commonly used in British politics to describe a constituency or parliamentary seat. The opposite is a 'marginal seat.' Also used attributively: 'safe Labour seat,' 'safe Conservative seat.'
常見錯誤
8. In baseball, a runner who is safe reaches a base before the defender touches it
In baseball, a runner who is safe reaches a base before the defender touches it with the ball, meaning they are not out and may continue playing.
The umpire shouted 'safe!' as Stefan slid into second base ahead of the throw.
umpire + call + safe — baseball terminology
Yan was called safe at first base after a very close play that the coach challenged.
passive: be called safe at [base]
Miguel sprinted and was called safe at first base with two outs in the ninth inning.
The crowd cheered when the runner was declared safe by a split-second margin.
- out
the opposite umpire's call, meaning the runner was tagged before reaching the base
文法句型
be safe
call + object + safe
pronounce + object + safe
用法筆記
Always predicative (used after a linking verb, never before a noun). The runner is 'safe at first base' — not 'a safe runner.' The umpire makes the call by spreading both arms and shouting 'safe!'
常見錯誤
9. In informal British English, this word expresses approval of a person you find t
In informal British English, this word expresses approval of a person you find trustworthy or a thing you consider good quality.
Rachid is the safest bloke I know — he would help anyone who needed it.
superlative: the safest + person — expressing strong approval
That new café near the station is safe; their coffee is much better than the chain places.
Don't worry about lending him your bicycle — he is absolutely safe and will return it on time.
My cousin recommended a safe little restaurant hidden behind the market square.
- sound
similar British slang describing a trustworthy person; 'He's sound' means the same as 'He's safe'
文法句型
person + be + safe
thing + be + safe
用法筆記
Distinct from the safety/security meaning of 'safe.' This sense is predicative and strongly associated with British youth slang. 'He's safe' means 'He's a good, reliable person,' not 'He is not in danger.'
常見錯誤
10. Used in the fixed phrase 'it is safe to say', which functions as a discourse mar
Used in the fixed phrase 'it is safe to say', which functions as a discourse marker meaning 'it is reasonable to conclude' or 'one can confidently make this statement' based on available evidence.
After ten thousand people came to the parade, it is safe to say the event was a huge success.
it is safe to say + that-clause — discourse marker of certainty
'Do you think everyone enjoyed the concert?' 'I think that is safe to say — nobody left early.'
agreement response: that is safe to say
Valentina nodded and said, 'Safe,' when her friend suggested ordering pizza for dinner.
'I will book the tickets for Friday night, then.' 'Yeah, safe — sounds perfect.'
文法句型
it is safe to say + that-clause
safe to say + clause
用法筆記
Can be used as a one-word response ('Safe.') in British slang, equivalent to 'Sounds good' or 'Fine.' This is different from the longer fixed phrase 'it is safe to say,' which introduces a confident opinion. The one-word response is very informal and common in casual conversation among younger speakers.