the coast is clear
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
There is no likelihood of interference. It was originally a smuggling term, implying that no coastguards were about.
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 “the coast is clear” mean?
There is no likelihood of interference. It was originally a smuggling term, implying that no coastguards were about.
Is “the coast is clear” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.