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save1

Pronunciation: /seɪv/
Translate save | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of save

verb

[with object]
  • 1keep safe or rescue (someone or something) from harm or danger:they brought him in to help save the club from bankruptcy
  • prevent (someone) from dying:the doctors did everything they could to save him
  • (in Christian use) preserve (a person’s soul) from damnation: church ladies approach me trying to save my soul
  • keep (someone) in health (used in exclamations and formulaic expressions):God save the Queen
  • 2keep and store up (something, especially money) for future use:she had never been able to save much from her salary [no object]:you can save up for retirement in a number of ways
  • avoid the need to use up or spend (money, time, or other resources):save £20 on a new camcorder [with two objects]:an efficient dishwasher would save them one year and three months at the sink
  • preserve (something) by not expending or using it:save your strength till later
  • (in imperative save it) North American informal stop talking:save it, Joey—I’m in big trouble now
  • 3 Computing keep (data) by moving a copy to a storage location:save the instructions to a new file
  • 4avoid, lessen, or guard against:this approach saves wear and tear on the books [with two objects]:the statement was made to save the government some embarrassment
  • 5prevent an opponent from scoring (a goal or point) in a game or from winning (the game):the powerful German saved three match points
  • Soccer (of a goalkeeper) stop (a shot) from entering the goal.
  • Baseball (of a relief pitcher) preserve (a winning position) gained by another pitcher.

noun

  • 1chiefly Soccer an act of preventing an opponent’s scoring:the keeper made a great save
  • Baseball an instance of preserving a winning position gained by another pitcher.
  • 2 Computing an act of saving data to a storage location.

Phrases

save one's breath

[often in imperative] not bother to say something because it is pointless.

save the day (or situation)

find or provide a solution to a difficulty or disaster.

save face

see face.

save someone's face

see face.

save someone's life

prevent someone dying by taking specific action: quick thinking undoubtedly saved the skipper’s life
(cannot do something to save one's life) used to indicate that the person in question is completely incompetent at a particular activity or task:Adrian couldn’t draw to save his life

save someone's skin (or neck or bacon)

rescue someone from danger or difficulty.

save the tide

Nautical, archaic get in and out of port while the tide lasts.

save someone the trouble (or bother)

avoid involving someone in useless or pointless effort:write it down and save yourself the trouble of remembering

Derivatives

savable

(also saveable) adjective

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French sauver, from late Latin salvare, from Latin salvus 'safe'. The noun dates from the late 19th century

save in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of save in the US English dictionary
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