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