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of safety; hence, assurance; certainty. His trembling hand had lost the ease, Which marks security to please. Sir W. Scott.

The condition or quality of being insecure; want of safety; danger; hazard; as, the insecurity of a building liable to fire; insecurity of a debt.

A process by which land is attached security or in satisfaction of a debt.

Fig.: That which gives stability or security; that on which we place dependence for safety. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul. Heb. vi. 19.

Hence: Firm hold: security.

Something on which one may depend for security; ground of trust.

To cover or furnish with a plate, or with whatever will add strength, force, security, or efficiency; as, to arm the hit of a sword; to arm a hook in angling.

Furnished with weapons of offense or defense; furnished with the means of security or protection. "And armed host." Dryden.

ssued as currency by the revolutionary government of France (1790-1796), and based on the security of the lands of the church and of nobles which had been appropriated by the state.

Any place of retreat and security. Earth has no other asylum for them than its own cold bosom. Southey.

A post of security or defense. [Poetic] Into the castle's tower, The only Aventine that now is left him. Beau. & Fl.

The security given for the appearance of a prisoner in order to obtain his release from custody of the officer; as, the man is out on bail; to go bail for any one. Excessive bail ought not to be required. Blackstone.

drostatic balance. See under Hydrostatic. -- To lay in balance, to put up as a pledge or security. [Obs.] Chaucer. -- To strike a balance, to find out the difference between the debit and credit sides of an account.

Fig.: That which gives, or helps to maintain, uprightness, steadiness, and security. It [piety] is the right ballast of prosperity. Barrow. Ballast engine, a steam engine used in excavating and for digging and raising stones and gravel for ballast. -- Ship in ballast, a ship carring only ballast.

Pledge; security. [Obs.] Spenser. Band saw, a saw in the form of an endless steel belt, with teeth on one edge, running over wheels.

To lay or put in any hollow place, or place of rest and security, surrounded or inclosed; to embed; to furnish with or place upon a bed or foundation; as, to bed a stone; it was bedded on a rock. Among all chains or clusters of mountains where large bodies of still water are bedded. Wordsworth.

Good; valid as security for something.

A surety; one who is bound, or who gives security, for another.

Something deposited as security; a pledge; a surety; a hostage. [Obs.] Ye may retain as borrows my two priests. Sir W. Scott.

ter as his agent, hypothecates and binds the ship (and sometimes the accruing freight) as security for the repayment of money advanced or lent for the use of the ship, if she terminates her voyage successfully. If the ship is lost by perils of the sea, the lender loses the money; but if the ship arrives safe, he is to…