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Safe vs Ensure - What's the difference?

safe | ensure |

As an adjective safe

is not in danger; free from harm's reach.

As a noun safe

is a box, usually made of metal, in which valuables can be locked for safekeeping.

As a verb ensure is

to make a pledge to (someone); to promise, guarantee (someone of something); to assure.

safe

English

(wikipedia safe)

Adjective

(er)
  • Not in danger; free from harm's reach.
  • Free from risk; harmless, riskless.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=19 citation , passage=When Timothy and Julia hurried up the staircase to the bedroom floor, where a considerable commotion was taking place, Tim took Barry Leach with him. He had him gripped firmly by the arm, since he felt it was not safe to let him loose, and he had no immediate idea what to do with him.}}
  • Providing protection from danger; providing shelter.
  • (baseball) When a batter successfully reaches first base, or when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base or returns to the base he last occupied; not out.
  • Properly secured; secure.
  • (used after a noun, often, forming a compound) Not in danger from the specified source of harm.
  • (UK, slang) Great, cool, awesome, respectable;
  • * {{quote-newsgroup, year=1996, date=August 12, author="Mandrake", title=Re: Multiple Messages - an apology
  • , newsgroup=uk.people.gothic citation , passage=and you also forgot to mentioned(SIC) the wheels man you know bmw playing¶ ragga jungle hip hop tunes¶ and on the mobile¶ yeah safe !¶ nice one¶ later}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1996 or 1997, year_published=2002, publisher=Methuen
  • , author=Roy Williams, title=Plays 1: The No Boys Cricket Club / Startstruck / Lift Off citation , isbn=9780413772091, page=165 , passage=Young Mal: Yu can’t. Irie means yer cool, yer safe , everything awright.}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=2000, year_published=2005, publisher=Justin, Charles & Co.
  • , author=Teddy Hayes, title=Dead by Popular Demand, section=Chapter 14 citation , pageurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=mjbGFX-X_-8C&pg=PT145&dq=yeah+safe+laters&hl=en&ei=0r5ZTPPdE4ymOKyAufII&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAw
  • v=onepage&q&f=false
  • , isbn=9781932112238, page=134 , passage=“If you need more, just ring, yeah?” Punch said.¶ “Safe ,” Brian answered.}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=2002, publisher=Trentham Books, author=Danny Braverman
  • , title=Playing a Part: Drama and Citizenship, section=One Thursday — a short play citation , pageurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=pJIGiwslfZoC&pg=PA62&dq=safe , isbn=9781858562424, page=62 , passage=They end the call.'' Fami ''goes over to'' Paul. ''They touch hands .¶ Femi: Yeah, safe man.}}
  • * (rfdate) Steve Carter, Love, Sex and Tesco's Finest Cava , page 169:
  • “Yeah, safe mate, wassup?” says one hoodie, who should at least be credited with attempting a more detailed sentence construction.
  • Reliable.
  • Cautious.
  • Synonyms

    * harmless, riskless * secure * (cool) wicked, cool, awesome * (reliable) trustworthy

    Antonyms

    * unsafe * dangerous * harmful * insecure

    Hyponyms

    * (not in danger from the specified source of harm) * *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A box, usually made of metal, in which valuables can be locked for safekeeping.
  • (slang) A condom.
  • * 1999 , (Rita Ciresi), Pink Slip , Delta (1999), ISBN 0385323638, page 328:
  • She'd better have an arsenal of Trojans in her purse just in case he wasn't carrying a safe in his back pocket.
  • (dated) A ventilated or refrigerated chest or closet for securing provisions from noxious animals or insects.
  • Synonyms

    * (box for storing valuables) coffer, lockbox, strongbox * (condom) see also .

    Derived terms

    * * * * *

    See also

    * save * safety

    Statistics

    *

    ensure

    English

    Verb

    (ensur)
  • To make a pledge to (someone); to promise, guarantee (someone of something); to assure.
  • *:
  • *:Thenne he cryed hym mercy and sayd Faire knyght for goddes loue slee me not / and I shall ensure the neuer werre ageynst thy lady / but be alwey toward her / Thenne Bors lete hym be
  • To make sure or certain of something (usually some future event or condition).
  • :
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist), author=Lexington
  • , title= Keeping the mighty honest , passage=British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far.}}

    Anagrams

    *