safes

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of safe.

   The hotel replaced all the room safes after the security breach.

   Wealthy collectors often keep several safes hidden throughout their homes.

   Note

   The plural covers more than strongboxes. Besides locked metal boxes for valuables, it can mean condoms in slang, and it has two dated uses: ventilated or refrigerated chests that kept provisions safe from pests, and safety bicycles, a colloquial shortening. The spelling is identical to the verb meaning "makes safe", so context decides: "the safes" is the noun, and "she safes" is the verb.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of safe.

   The pilot safes the ejection system before the crew approaches the cockpit.

   She safes the firearm whenever she sets it down at the range.

   Note

   A transitive verb, so it always takes an object: someone safes a device, a weapon or a system. It is the adjective put to work, meaning "to make something safe," rather than a separate word. Because it shares its spelling with the plural noun, the clue is the grammar around it. A subject and an object mark the verb, while an article or a number marks the noun.

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