The coast is clear is a idiom that came into use in the 1500s. We will examine the meaning of the expression the coast is clear, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.
The coast is clear is a phrase that means that the area is free of someone who might observe you or catch you doing something, or it may simply mean that it is safe to proceed with one’s planned action. The expression the coast is clear is usually used when one is trying to get away with something, either breaking a rule or breaking a law. Sometimes, it is used in a humorous fashion. The term the coast is clear has been in use since the 1500s, and most probably has its roots in a Spanish phrase. No hay Moros en la costa is a Spanish expression that literally means “there are no Moors along the coast”. This refers to a time when the Moors had overrun Spain, and the dangers of landing on a coast with Moors upon it was very real.
Examples
If the coast is clear, make swings where you actually try to throw the club down the range as far as you can. (Golf Digest)
When the coast is clear, the lucky tortoise immediately sees his escape path and flees back to the safety of the surrounding bush. (The Daily Mail)
With all that to deal with plus the pain, it’s difficult to wonder how you’d be able to get into the mood in the first place, but regardless, your best bet is to go to the doc, get an antibiotic (if needed), and wait until the coast is clear. (Shape Magazine)
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