security

lull (one) into a false sense of security

To cause one to feel safe and secure in a situation that poses risks or dangers. Installing cameras at home lulled me into a false sense of security—our house still ended up getting robbed. A: "I can't believe you were able to unseat the valedictorian!" B: "I think three years of accolades lulled her into a false sense of security."

See also: false, lull, of, security, sense

security against (someone or something)

Protection from someone or something; that which ensures the safety of someone or something from something else. Our antivirus software offers you security against all manner of malicious cyber-threats. The prisoner offered to testify in exchange for security against prison time. The entrances and exits have all been fitted with deadbolts and cameras to provide security against intruders.

See also: security

security blanket

That which gives one a feeling of comfort, confidence, and safety. An allusion to the common practice of children to carry around blankets or stuffed animals to give them a feeling of safety. His beard had long been his form of security blanket—something he could hide behind, something he could change at will, something he could fiddle with when he felt nervous or uncomfortable. My father's financial status was like a security blanket. Whenever anything else in life was going wrong, he always took comfort in his wealth.

See also: blanket, security

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

lull someone into a false sense of security

Cliché to lead someone into believing that all is well before attacking or doing someone bad. We lulled the enemy into a false sense of security by pretending to retreat. Then we launched an attack. The boss lulled us into a false sense of security by saying that our jobs were safe and then let half the staff go.

See also: false, lull, of, security, sense

security against something

something that keeps something safe; something that protects; a protection. Insurance provides security against the financial losses owing to theft, loss, or damage. A good education is a security against unemployment.

See also: security

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

lull into

Deceive into trustfulness, as in The steadily rising market lulled investors into a false sense of security. The earliest recorded version of this term referred to wine: "Fitter indeed to bring and lull men asleep in the bed of security" (Philemon Holland, Pliny's Historie of the World, 1601. Today it still often appears with the phrase a false sense of security.

See also: lull

security blanket

Something that dispels anxiety, as in I always carry my appointments calendar; it's my security blanket. This colloquial term, dating from about 1960, was at first (and still is) used for the blanket or toy or other object held by a young child to reduce anxiety.

See also: blanket, security

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

a security blanket

A security blanket is something that makes you feel safer and more confident. Everybody has a personal security blanket — it could be a handbag, a piece of jewellery or, if you're a guy, a moustache or a beard. For most of us, the lists we make act as security blankets, telling us what to do and how long to spend doing it. Note: A young child's security blanket is a piece of cloth or clothing which the child holds and often chews in order to feel comforted.

See also: blanket, security

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012