safety matches
Preserved but no longer current.
In 1847 Schrotter, an Austrian chemist, discovered that red phos- phorus gives off no fumes, and is virtually inert; but being mixed with chlorate of potash under slight pressure it explodes with violence.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “safety matches” mean?
In 1847 Schrotter, an Austrian chemist, discovered that red phos- phorus gives off no fumes, and is virtually inert; but being mixed with chlorate of potash under slight pressure it explodes with violence.
Is “safety matches” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.