safety-stop 
case of the breakage of a yarn, thread, or sliver. 
E. H. Kniijltt. 
safety-strap (saf'ti-strap), . In muld/cri/, an 
extra back-band used with a light trotting-linr- 
ness. It is passed over the seat of a gig-saddle, theterrets 
of which are inserted through holes in the strap. The 
ends of the strap are buckled to the shaft-tugs. Brake 
safety-strap, an iron or steel strap so bent as to embrarr 
the brake-beam of a car-truck, to the end-pieces or tran- 
soms of which the ends of the safety-strap are secured. 
Its function is to prevent the beam from falling on the 
track if any of the hangers give way. It is sometimes 
made to serve as a brake-spring to throw off the brake. 
safety-switch (saf 'ti-swich), M. A switch which 
automatically returns to its normal position 
after being moved to shift a train to a siding. 
safety-tackle (saf'ti-tak"l), n. An additional 
tackle used to give greater support in cases 
where it is feared that the strain might prove 
too great for the tackles already in use. 
safety-tube (saf'ti-tub), . In cliem., a tube, 
usually provided with bulbs and bent to form 
a trap, through which such reagents as produce 
noxious fumes may be added to the contents 
of a flask or retort, or by which dangerous 
pressure within a vessel may be avoided. 
safety-valve (saf'ti-valv), n. A contrivance 
ttoMMf MnotOfMM ; also, a drug ami dyestuff con- 
sisting of its dried florets. The safflowei is a thistle 
like herb a foot or two high, somewhat branching abnvi 
the heads of an orange-red color. It is native perhaps fi i 
Egypt to India, and is extensively cultivated in southern 
Ordinary weighted Safety-valves. 
a and /< show the weight applied with levers as in power-boilers, 
while in f and d the weights are directly applied to the valve-stein 
a common method with tow-pressure steam-boilers used for steam- 
heating. 
for obviating or diminishing the risk of explo- 
sion in steam-boilers. The form and construction 
of safety-valves are exceedingly various, but the principle 
of all is the same 
that of opposing fs=^f. .gsasm, 
the pressure with- 111 </ 
in the boiler by 
such a force as will 
yield before it 
reaches the point 
of danger, and per- 
mit the steam to 
escape. The most 
simple and obvious 
kind of safety- valve 
is that in which a 
weight is placed 
directly over a 
steam-tight plate 
fitted to an aper- 
ture in the boiler. 
When, however, 
the pressure is 
high, this form be- 
comes inconve- 
iiirnt, ami the lev- 
er safety-valve is 
adopted. Inter- 
nal safety- 
valve, in a steam- 
boiler, a valve 
which opens in- 
ward t<> admit air 
Pop-valve (a form of Safety-valve). 
a, valve-seat base which screws in ; b, 
cup-shaped outlet ; c, valve ; rf, coiled spring 
which presses valve to its seat ; f, lever by 
which the valve can be opened at will;/, 
set-nut by which the pressure of the spring 
is adjusted ; g, removable cap. 
into the boiler when a partial vacuum has been formed by 
the condensation of the steam. Lock-up safety-valve, 
a safety-valve having the weighted lever or spring shut in 
a locked chamber so that it cannot be interfered with ex- 
cept by the person holding the key. Spring safety- 
valve, a form of safety-valve the pressure of which is con- 
trolled by a gaged or adjustable spring or set of springs. 
saffert, An obsolete form of sapphire . 
saffit, n. Plural of saffo. 
saffian (saf 'i-an), H. [= D. saffiaan = G. Sw. saf- 
fian = Dan. safian, < Buss, unfit/unit, morocco, 
.saffian.] Goatskins or sheepskins tanned with 
sumac and dyed in a variety of bright colors, 
without a previous stuffing with oils or fats. 
safflorite (saf'lor-it), . [< G. safflor, safflower, 
+ -<e2.] An arsenide of cobalt and iron, long 
confounded with the isometric species smaltite. 
safflowt, a. Same as safflotcer. 
An herb they call saffiyw, or bastard saffron, dyers use 
for scarlet. Mortimer, Husbandry. 
safflower (sat"lou-erj, it. [Formerly also .w/- 
floin (if this is uot an error in the one pas^ii;-< 
cited) ; = D. xafflocrs = G. Sw. Dan. naff or = 
Kuss. saflorii, safflower, < OF. sajtor, sdfleur, < 
Olt. saffiorc, nsfiore, axfrole, zaffrole, etc. (forms 
given by Yule and Bnrnell, in part simulating 
It.fiore, OF.flor,flenr, flower, and so likewise in 
theE., etc., forms), < Ar. usfiir, safflower, < aafrii. 
yellow: sci- naffron.'] A composite plant. Car- 
Upper Part of Stem of Safflower (Cartftamtts tinc/ori'its), with the 
'heads, 
d, a flower ; A. c, the two different kinds of involucral leaves. 
Europe, Egypt, India, and China. It is sometimes plant 
ed in herb- and flower-gardens in the United States. Saf- 
flower as a medicine has little power, but is still in domes- 
tic use as a substitute for saffron. Asa dyestuff (its chief 
application)* it imparts bright but fugitive tints of red in 
various shades. It is extensively used at Lyons and in In- 
dia and China in dyeing silks, but has been largely replaced 
by the aniline dyes. It is much employed In the prep- 
aration of rouge, and serves also to adulterate saffron. 
(See carthamin.) In India a lighting and culinary oil is 
largely expressed from its seeds. Also called African, 
false or bastard, and dyers' saffron. 
The finest and best safflower, commanding the highest 
price, comes from China. 
A. 0. F. Eliot James, Indian Industries, p. 131. 
safflower-oil (saf'lou-er-oil), u. Oil expressed 
from safflower-seed. See safflower. Also called 
curdec-oil. 
saffot, ". ; pi. saffi. [It., a bailiff, catchpoll.] A 
bailiff; a catchpoll. 
I hear some fooling ; officers, the gajfi, 
Come to apprehend us ! 
B. Jonson, Volpone, iii. fi. 
saffornet, An obsolete form of saffron. 
saffrant, . and v. An obsolete form of saffron. 
saffre, w. See niffrc. 
saffron (saf'ron), H. and a. [Formerly also saf- 
fran; < WE. saffron, saffroitii, safcron, saffornc, 
saffron, safrim = D. saffraan = MLG. saffardu 
= MHG. safran, G. snfran = Sw. saffron = Dan. 
safran, < OF. safran, saffron (also safleur, saflor. 
> E. safflower), F. safran = Pr. safran, safra = 
Cat. safra = It. :afferano = (with the orig. Ar. 
article) Sp. azafran = Pg. aqafran = Wall, so- 
fraii, < Ar. (> Pers. ) za'fardn, with the article 
az-za'faran, saffron, < Ar. (> Turk. Pers.) safra, 
yellow (as a noun, bile).] I. H. 1. A product 
consisting of the dried stigmas of the flowers 
of the autumnal crocus, Crocus sativus. The true 
saffron of commerce is now mostly hay saffron that is, it 
consists of the loose stigmas uncaked. The product of over 
four thousand flowers is required to make an ounce. It has 
a sweetish aromatic odor, a warm pungent bitter taste, and 
a deep orange color. In medicine it was formerly deemed 
highly stimulant, antispasmodic, and even narcotic; it 
was esteemed by the ancients and by the Arabians ; and 
on the continent of Europe it is still much used as an 
emmenagogue. Experiments, however, have shown that 
it possesses little activity. It is also used to color confec- 
tionery, and in Europe and India is largely employed as a 
condiment. Saffron yields to water and alcohol about 
three fourths of its weight in an orange-red extract, which 
has been largely used in painting and dyeing, but in the 
latter use is mostly replaced by much cheaper substitutes. 
Capons that ben coloured with saffron. 
Bakes Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 275. 
I must have saffron, to colour the warden pies. 
Shak., W. T., iv. 3. 48. 
2. The plant which produces saffron, a low bul- 
bous herb, Crocus sativus, the autumnal crocus. 
The saffron resembles the ordinary spring crocus. It has 
handsome purple flowers, the perianth funnel-shaped with 
a long slenqer tube, the style with its three stigmas, which 
are over an inch long, hanging out on one side. It is 
thought to be a native of Greece and the Levant, its wild 
original being perhaps a form of C. Cartivrightianus. It 
is grown for its commercial produce in parts of southern 
Europe, especially in Spain, and in Asia Minor, Persia, 
Cashmere, and China. African saffron. See safloicer 
and Liiperia. Aperitive saffron of Mars. Sameas/wr- 
ripitated carboitate t\f iron (which see, under precipitate). 
Bastard or false saffron. Same as mfflomr. Dyers' 
sag 
saffron. Same as wt/ffnirrr. Meadow saffron. Sec 
meadmc-Kaffron. Saffron-oil, ur oil Of saffron, a nar- 
cotic oil extracted from the stigmata of the Crocus fatimt*. 
II. o. Having the color given by an infu- 
sion of saffron-flowers, somewhat orange-yel- 
low, less brilliant than chrome. 
Did this companion with the saffron face 
Revel and feast it at my house to-day? 
Shot., C. of E., iv. 4. 04 
Saffron plum. See plum i . 
saffront (saf'ron), r. t. [Formerly also saffron; 
< ME. xdffrinii'ii, < OF. miffi-tiner, F. safraner = 
Sp. o:afrmiar = Pg. ayafroar = It. zafferanure, 
saffron, dye saffron ; from the noun.] To tinge 
with saffron; make yellow; gild; give color or 
flavor to. 
In Latyn I speke a wordes fewe 
To saffron [var. savorc\ with my predicacionn, 
And for to stire men to devocioun. 
Chattcer, Prol. to Pardoner's Tale, 1. r>i>. 
Give us bacon, rinds of wallnuts, 
Shells of cockels, and of small nuts ; 
Ribands, hells, and saffrand linnen. 
Witti Recreations (1654). (ffares.) 
saffron-crocus (saf'ron-kr6' i 'kus), . The com- 
mon saffron. 
saffron-thistle (saf'ron-this'l), . The saf- 
flower. 
saffronwood (saf'ron-wud), n. A South Afri- 
can tree,Elxodendron crocewn. It has a fine-grained 
hard and tough wood, which is useful for beams, agricul- 
tural implements, etc., and its bark is used for tanning 
and dyeing. 
saffrony (saf'ron-i), a. [(.taffTO* + -y 1 .] Hav- 
ing the color of saffron. 
The woman was of complexion yellowish or saffrony, as 
on whose face the sun had too freely cast his beams. 
Lord, Hist, of the Banians (1630), p. 9. (Latham. ) 
safranine (saf'ra-nin), w. [< F. safran, saffron, 
+ -je 2 .] A coal-tar color used in dyeing, ob- 
tained by oxidizing a mixture of amido-azoto- 
luene and toluidine. It gives yellowish-red 
shades on wool, silk, and cotton, and is fairly 
fast to light. 
safranophile (saf'ran-o-fil), a. [< F. safran, 
saffron, + Gr. $Miv, love.] In kuttol., staining 
easily and distinctively with safranine : said of 
cells. 
safrol (saf'rol), n. [< F. safr(au), saffron, + 
-o?.] The chief constituent of oil of sassafras 
(Ci H 10 O a ). 
Baft (saft), a. and adv. A Scotch form of soft. 
safyret, A Middle English form of sapphire. 
sag (sag), v. ; pret. and pp. sagged, ppr. sagging. 
[< ME. sagr/ai, < Sw. sacka, settle, sink down 
(as dregs), = Dan. sakke, sink astern (naut.), 
= MLG. sacken, LG. sakken = D. zakken, sink 
(as dregs), = G. sacken, sink: perhaps from the 
non-nasal form of the root of sink, appearing 
also in AS. nit/an, sink (siegan, cause to sink): 
see sink, <>.] I. intrans. 1. To droop, espe- 
cially in the middle ; settle or sink through 
weakness or lack of support. 
The Horizons il-leuell'd circle wide 
Would sag too much on th' one or th' other side. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, i. :!. 
(ireat beams sag from the ceiling low. 
WhMier, Prophecy of Samuel Sewall. 
Hence 2 . To yield under the pressure of care, 
difficulties, trouble, doubt, or the like ; be de- 
pressed. 
The mind I sway by and the heart I bear 
Shall never tag with doubt, nor shake with fear. 
Shale., Macbeth, v. 3. 10. 
3f. To go about in a careless, slovenly manner 
or state; slouch. 
Carterly vpstarts, that out-face towne and conntrey in 
their veluets, when Sir Rowland Russet-coat, their dad. 
goes mygina euerie day in his round gascoynes of white 
cotton, and hath much adoo (poore pennie-father) to keepe 
his vnthrift ellwwes in reparations. 
Naihe, Pierce Penilesse, p. 8. 
4. \ant., to incline to the leeward; make lee- 
way. 
II. trans. To cause to droop or bend in the 
middle, as by an excessive load or burden : op- 
posed to hog. 
sag (sag), . [< sag, p.] A bending or droop- 
ing, as of a rope that is fastened at its extrem- 
ities, or of a surface ; droop. Specifically (a) The 
dip of a telegraph-wire, or the distance from the straight 
line Joining the points to which the wire is attached to 
the lowest point of the arc it forms between them, (b) 
The tendency of a vessel to drift to leeward, (c) Drift ; 
tendency. 
Note at the end of euery foure glasses what way the 
shippe hath made, . . . and howe her way hath bene 
through the water, considering withall for the sagge of 
the sea, to leewards, accordingly as you shall flnde it 
growen. Uakhiyfs Voyages, I. 436. 
sagt (siig).'i. [<*.'/.''] Heavy : loaded ; weigh- 
ed down. [Rare.] 
