safe as houses Definition

house
noun

1. A building in which people, especially a single family, live.

Thesaurus: habitation, abode, domicile, dwelling, residence.
2. The people living in such a building.
3. An inn or public house.
4. A building used for a specified purpose.

Example: an opera-house
5a. A business firm;

Example: a publishing house
Thesaurus: business, corporation, establishment, firm, partnership, company.


Example: the house journal
6. The audience in a theatre, a theatre itself or a performance given there.
7. The legislative body that governs a country, especially either chamber in a bicameral system.

Example: the House of Commons
Example: the House of Lords
Thesaurus: congress, council, assembly, legislature, senate, parliament.
Form: the House (often)
8a. In Oxford: Christ Church College;

Form: the House
8b. In London: the Stock Exchange;

Form: the House
8c. In London: the Houses of Parliament.

Form: the House
9. A family, especially a noble or royal one.

Example: the House of Hanover
Thesaurus: family, ancestry, blood, clan, line, lineage, descent, race, tradition.
Form: House
10. astrol.
One of the twelve divisions of the heavens.
(Brit)
11. One of several divisions of pupils at a large school.
12a. A college or university building in which students live;
12b. A building at a boarding-school in which pupils live.
13. A building in which members of a religious community live; a convent.
14. house music.

verb housed, housing

1. To provide with a house or similar shelter.

Thesaurus: accommodate, bed, board, quarter, lodge, harbour, hold.
2. To store.

Thesaurus: keep, protect, shelter, store.
3. To protect by covering.

Idiom: bring the house down

colloq
To evoke loud applause in a theatre; to be a great success.

Idiom: keep house

To manage a household.

Idiom: keep open house

To be hospitable or provide entertainment for all visitors.

Idiom: like a house on fire

Very well.
Example: They get on like a house on fire

Very quickly.
Thesaurus: quickly, actively, energetically, vigorously.

Idiom: on the house

Said of food, drink, etc: at the expense of the manager or owner; free of charge.
Thesaurus: free, complimentary, gratis, gratuitous.

Idiom: put one's house in order (set one's house in order)

To organize or settle one's affairs.

Idiom: safe as houses

See under safe.

Idiom: set up house

To begin one's own domestic life.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon hus.

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safe
adj

1. Free from danger or harm.

Thesaurus: secure, protected, guarded, housed, screened, invulnerable, impregnable, shielded; Antonym: endangered.
2. Unharmed.
3. Giving protection from danger or harm; secure.

Example: a safe place
4. Not dangerous or harmful

Example: Is it safe to go out?
Thesaurus: harmless, tame, innocent, innocuous; Antonym: dangerous, risky.
5. Involving no risk of loss; assured.

Example: a safe bet
6. Said of a friend, companion, etc: reliable or trustworthy.

Thesaurus: reliable, trustworthy, dependable, competent, sound, proven, loyal, faithful.
7. Cautious.

Example: better safe than sorry

noun

1. A sturdily constructed cabinet, usually made of metal, in which money and valuables can be locked away.

Thesaurus: vault, strongbox, coffer, chest, repository, safe-deposit box.

Derivative: safely
adverb

Derivative: safeness
noun

Idiom: be on the safe side (err on the safe side)

To be doubly cautious; to choose the safer alternative.

Idiom: play safe

See under play.

Idiom: safe and sound

Secure and unharmed.
Example: They returned safe and sound from their trip

Idiom: safe as houses

colloq
Extremely safe and secure.

Etymology: 15c: from French sauf, from Latin salvus.