safety match
- noun
- /ˈseɪfti mætʃ/
:
fósforo de seguridad
- To start the fire, he carefully struck a safety match against the side of the box.
Examples
-
All I got are these stupid, easy-light, waterproof safety matches.
-
"He unbolted the door of the barn so that the horse would be able to open it by pushing against it, then without any further hesitation, walked back to the pile of straw, struck a safety match, and touched it to the tinder.
Fiction book (1994) -
I always use safety matches when camping to prevent accidental ignitions.
-
For the birthday candles, she chose safety matches to ensure nothing caught fire too easily.
Synonyms
176
1.0
A small stick with a tip that catches fire when struck
9
1.0
A short thin stick of wood you use to light a fire
1
2.7
A wooden match you can strike on any rough surface to light stoves
A small wooden stick with a tip that lights when you strike it on something rough
How Safe
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is a simple compositional compound where 'safety' specifies that the 'match' is designed to reduce danger, so the overall meaning ('a match designed to be safer') is directly derivable from the constituents. This pattern (adjective/noun or modifier + object = safer version of the object) is common across languages and follows standard English compounding, so a B1 learner knowing both words would readily understand it.
Etymology
The compound noun safety match comes from the simple idea of a match that will only light when you strike it on a special strip on the box. Because the match head must touch the box's prepared surface, the word safety shows it is 'safer' and helps prevent the match lighting 'by mistake'.