the.com/coast is clear
The all-clear smugglers invented before it got stolen by teenagers sneaking snacks.
means Said to mean there's no danger or obstacle in sight, so it's safe to proceed.
from The phrase dates to at least the 1500s and is widely tied to smuggling slang — the literal coastline being free of coast guards, customs men, or other watchers meant contraband could be landed safely. Some early uses also carry a military flavor, describing an unguarded shore ripe for a landing. Over time it drifted ashore completely, losing its salt and settling into everyday use for any situation where the path is open and no one's watching.
- origin
- 16th-century smugglers checking for patrol guards on shore
- literal coast
- meant an actual coastline, not a metaphor
- modern use
- now means any danger has quietly vanished