safety

1 the state of not being exposed to danger <we were lucky to make it to safety just as the lions broke loose from their cage at the zoo> Synonyms protection, safeness, security Related Words aegis (also egis), cover, defense, guardianship, ward; guard, safeguard, screen, shield; asylum, harbor, haven, refuge, retreat, shelter; impregnability, impregnableness, invincibility, invincibleness, inviolability, inviolableness, invulnerability, invulnerableness Near Antonyms hazard, risk, threat; instability, precariousness; harm's way; exposure, liability, openness, violability, vulnerability, vulnerableness; susceptibility, susceptibleness Antonyms danger, distress, endangerment, imperilment, jeopardy, peril, trouble

2 a protective device (as on a weapon) to prevent accidental operation <the gun couldn't be fired as long as the safety was on> Synonyms guard Related Words fail-safe; lock; defense, protection, safeguard, shield