A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

safe against something • safe from something
safe against something —protected from possible dangers
(such as fire, etc.) should they happen: I try to make sure my
house is as safe against hurricanes as possible.
safe from something —said of dangers that cannot possibly
harm a person or thing: A person once infected with the small-
pox is safe from having it a second time.
safety man • safety officer
safety man —
1
. a person responsible for safety: As John began
to get into his diving things again he wished that somebody
could be left in the boat as safety man. 2. a man guarding a
temporarily disused mine-shaft : These officials, known as
“safety men,” will eat their dinner in semi-darkness hundreds
of feet below the surface of the earth. 3. (U.S. Football) a
defensive back who plays in the deepest position: He scored
from four yards out, running straight over the safety man.
safety officer —a person who coordinates safety measures
within an organization: Safety engineering is receiving an
impetus by the appointment of safety officers by many firms.
Saigon moment • sputnik moment
Saigon moment—(usually in military contexts) used when
people realize that they will lose or fail (originally of the U.S.
negative experience in the Vietnam war): “We are waiting for
the final chapter, for your Saigon moment,” a rebel com-
mander bragged in a taunt to U.S. President Bush.
sputnik moment—used when people realize that they are
seriously challenged and have to redouble their efforts to catch
up (originally of the time when the Soviet Union launched the
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Saigon moment

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first satellite and beat the USA into space): Hutchison warned
that “we are on the verge of another Sputnik moment” because
of China’s perceived lunar ambitions.