safeholdn.
/ˈseɪfhəʊld/, U.S. /ˈseɪfˌhoʊld/ A place of safety from attack or danger.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > refuge or shelter > [noun] > a place of refuge > a (naturally) safe place
safeholdc1560
fasthold1623
c1560 T. Becon Sycke Mannes Salue f. ccxlvi My people, saythe God, shall dwell in pleasant peace, and in safe holds, and shall haue continual reast wt-out disturbaunce.
1656 A. Burgess CXLV Expository Serm. lxiii. 338 Herod observed John, in a corporal manner of keeping him in a safe hold.
1657 Earl of Monmouth tr. P. Paruta Politick Disc. ii. viii. 170 The Prince..soon..recovers what he had lost, the Enemy not having any safe hold wherein to abide.
1742 J. Ayres Sancho at Court iii. 52 I'll get into some safe hold, and give Directions for the Management of the Assault.
1793 A. Seward Lett. (1811) III. 332 That misleading enthusiasm which led her..far from the safe-holds of her native country.
1834 P. F. Tytler Hist. Scotl. V. ii. 110 To this safe-hold [sc. the strong tower of Blacater], the queen..now resolved to retire.
1892 R. Leighton Thirsty Sword xxv. 264 Their safeholds now became the scenes of plunder and bloodshed, the islands were wasted with fire.
1977 F. E. Vandiver Black Jack II. ix. 283 Stone and rubble and then whanging shrapnel searched the safeholds of the fort.
2006 Associated Press Online (Nexis) 19 Dec. Volunteers had to scramble to save the few frogs they could, sending them to temporary safeholds.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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