safety valve en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈseɪfti ˌvælv/ (General-American)
- /ˈseɪftɪ ˌvælv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From safety + valve.
Meanings
-
A valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc. (such as a boiler or pressure cooker), would burst, thus reducing the pressure; a relief valve.
Spun glass mattresses are used for lagging the boiler, which has three Ross pop safety valves on the front ring.
1941 April, “British Locomotive Developments”, in The Railway Magazine, London: Tothill Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 173:[A]nd to show that there was no shortage of steam, Royal Scot, directly we stopped, blew off vigorously from its safety-valves steam that well might have been used in the cylinders in the interest of timekeeping.
1959 April, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 185:
- (broadly) A valve set to close a container holding a gas or vapour to prevent excessive loss of pressure.
-
(figuratively) Any mechanism offering relief from physical or emotional pressure or tension.
[…] I have often thought that it was a great error in our legislature when they consented to put down the public lotteries in England. I am convinced that they were beneficial, acting as safety-valves to the gambling spirit of the nation, and that their prohibition has been productive of much crime and misery.
1840, F[rederick] M[arryat], “Diary on the Continent. Chapter XIX.”, in Olla Podrida. […], volume I, London: Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longmans, […], →OCLC, pages 205–206:
-
(US, figuratively) Any mechanism offering relief from physical or emotional pressure or tension. ▸ A United States law, codified at 18 United States Code §3553(f), authorizing a judge to disregard mandatory minimum sentences for some criminals with few or no prior offenses.
Hernández additionally requested that he be given a two-level safety-valve reduction pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 5C1.2, which mitigates the harsh effect of mandatory minimum sentences on certain first-time offenders who played only supporting roles in drug-trafficking schemes and who provided testimony about their involvement in the criminal activity.
2020 June 30, David Jeremiah Barron, Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, “United States v. Hernández-Hernández”, in Federal Reporter […] (No. 19-1123), volume 964, St. Paul, Minn.: West Publishing Co., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 02 Jul 2023, page 100:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| safety-valve | alternative | lexicographic | |
| safety valves | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
safety-valve · Ramsbottom safety valve
Hyponyms
spring valve · Ramsbottom safety valve
Synonyms
release · outlet · outlet · release
Translations (52)
af veiligheidsklep (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · sv säkerhetsventil (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · fr soupape d'échappement (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · pt válvula de segurança (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · nl veiligheidsklep (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · fr soupape de sécurité (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · bg предпазен вентил (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · de Sicherheitsventil (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · te సేఫ్టి వాల్వు (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · mk ве́нтил (mechanism offering relief from physical or emotional pressure or tension) · ro supapa de siguranță (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · mk сигу́рносен ве́нтил (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · nb sikkerhetsventil (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · cmn 安全閥 /安全阀 (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · fr soupape de décompression (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · mk сигу́рносен ве́нтил (mechanism offering relief from physical or emotional pressure or tension) · es válvula de escape (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · lb Iwwerdrockventil (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · es válvula de seguridad (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · ja 安全弁 (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · fi vähimmäisrangaistuksen sivuuttamisen salliva laki (United States law authorizing a judge to disregard mandatory minimum sentences for some criminals with few or no prior offenses) · ru предохрани́тельный кла́пан (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · hu biztonsági szelep (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · ar صمام أمان (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · fi varoventtiili (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · vi van an toàn (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · fa شیر ایمنی (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · tr emniyet supabı (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · cs pojistný ventil (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · lt apsauginis vožtuvas (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · es válvula de alivio (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · pt válvula de escape (mechanism offering relief from physical or emotional pressure or tension) · kk сақтық клапан (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · es válvula de alivio de presión (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · pl wentyl bezpieczeństwa (mechanism offering relief from physical or emotional pressure or tension) · ca vàlvula de seguretat (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · fi paineenpitoventtiili (valve set to close a container holding a gas or vapour to prevent excessive loss of pressure) · da sikkerhedsventil (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · pl zawór bezpieczeństwa (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · ca vàlvula d'alleujament (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · it valvola di emergenza (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · hu biztosítószelep (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · fi purkautumiskeino (mechanism offering relief from physical or emotional pressure or tension) · uk запобі́жний кла́пан (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · pt válvula de alívio de pressão (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · nl veiligheidsventiel (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · pl wentyl (mechanism offering relief from physical or emotional pressure or tension) · he שסתום בטיחות (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · pt válvula de escape (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · ca vàlvula d'alleujament de pressió (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · it valvola di sicurezza (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure) · lb sécherheetsventil (valve set to open at a pressure below that at which a container holding a gas, vapour, etc., would burst, thus reducing the pressure)