107 Coast is clear
(PW) No enemy is in sight.
Take the present out of the closet when the coast is clear.
(free) There is no visible danger.
I'm going to stay hidden here until the coast is clear. You can come out of your hiding place now. The coast is clear.
(about) no danger is in sight, no one can see you
Explanation: Used when signaling that someone or some people can proceed with a given action.
Examples: Just a moment.. OK, the coast is clear, let's go! - When I told him the coast was clear he began to try to copy the notes.
(Urban)
The coast is clear" is said when it has been determined that it is now safe to proceed; that there are no obstacles or witnesses to what one is about to do.
"The coast is clear", he thought as he watched his lover's husband drive away from the house.
(PhraseFinder)
COAST IS CLEAR - "The phrase first appears in print in 1531 where it describes a vessel which had safely cleared the coast, then later Shakespeare used it in 'Henry VI' as a reference to visibility. Neither of these references touch on its true insinuation; it is a reference to smuggling surely? Or some nefarious operation." "Salty Dog Talk: The Nautical Origins of Everyday Expressions" by Bill Beavis and Richard G. McCloskey (Sheridan House, Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., 1995. First published in Great Britain, 1983).
