I. save 1 S1 W1 /seɪv/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ save , ↑ saver , ↑ saving , savings, SAVIOUR/SAVIOR ; verb : ↑ save ]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: salver , from Late Latin salvare , from Latin salvus ; ⇨ ↑ safe 1 ]
1 . FROM HARM/DANGER [transitive] to make someone or something safe from danger, harm, or destruction ⇨ rescue :
Emergency aid could save millions threatened with starvation.
a new treatment that could save his life
She was determined to save her marriage.
the campaign to save the rain forests
save somebody/something from something
He saved the child from drowning.
2 . MONEY [intransitive and transitive] ( also save up ) to keep money in a bank so that you can use it later, especially when you gradually add more money over a period of time:
He managed to save enough to buy a small house.
So far, I’ve saved about £500.
save for
I’m saving up for a new car.
⇨ ↑ saver
3 . NOT WASTE [transitive] ( also save on something ) to use less money, time, energy etc so that you do not waste any OPP waste :
We’ll save a lot of time if we go by car.
Everyone is being encouraged to save energy.
ways to save money on heating bills
energy-saving/time-saving etc
money-saving ideas
4 . TO USE LATER [transitive] to keep something so that you can use or enjoy it in the future:
We’ll save the rest of the food and have it later.
save something for something
I had a bottle of champagne which I’d been saving for a special occasion.
5 . COLLECT [transitive] ( also save something ↔ up ) to keep all the objects of a particular kind that you can find, so that you can use them:
I’m saving up vouchers to get a cheap air ticket to the States.
6 . HELP TO AVOID [transitive] to help someone by making it unnecessary for them to do something that they do not want to do:
If you lent me £5, it would save me a trip to the bank.
save somebody doing something
I’ll take the shopping home in the car to save you carrying it.
save somebody the trouble/bother (of doing something)
I’ll get a taxi from the station to save you the trouble of coming to collect me.
7 . KEEP FOR SOMEBODY [transitive] to stop people from using something so that it is available for someone else:
Will you save me a seat?
save something for somebody
We’ll save some dinner for you if you’re late.
8 . COMPUTER [intransitive and transitive] to make a computer keep the work that you have done on it:
Don’t forget to save before you close the file.
Did you save the changes that you made?
9 . SPORT [intransitive and transitive] to stop the other team from scoring in a game such as football:
The goalkeeper just managed to save the shot.
10 . you saved my life spoken used to thank someone who has helped you out of a difficult situation or solved a problem for you:
Thanks again for the loan – you really saved my life.
11 . save sb’s skin/neck/bacon informal to help someone to escape from an extremely difficult or dangerous situation:
He lied in court to save his own skin.
12 . save the day to stop things from going badly and make a situation end successfully:
A local businessman saved the day by donating £30,000 to the school.
13 . save face to do something that will stop you from looking stupid or feeling embarrassed:
A compromise must be found which will allow both sides in the dispute to save face.
⇨ ↑ face-saving
14 . saving grace the one good thing that makes someone or something acceptable:
His sense of humour was his only saving grace.
15 . somebody can’t do something to save his/her life informal to be completely unable to do something:
He couldn’t draw to save his life!
16 . save your breath spoken used to tell someone that it is not worth saying anything, because nothing they say will make any difference to the situation:
I tried to explain, but she told me to save my breath.
17 . save somebody from themselves to prevent someone from doing something that they want to do but that you think is harmful
18 . RELIGION [intransitive and transitive] in the Christian church, to free someone from the power of evil and bring them into the Christian religion:
Jesus came to save sinners.
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THESAURUS
▪ save to gradually collect money by not spending all the money you have, especially when you regularly put some of it in a bank:
She doesn’t earn much, but she still manages to save a few dollars each week.
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We’re saving for a deposit to buy a house.
▪ set/put aside to regularly save part of the money you earn, especially over a long period of time:
You should start setting aside part of your earnings as retirement savings.
▪ scrimp and save to try to save money by spending less on the things you need and by saving what you can, especially when you do not earn very much:
My parents scrimped and saved for years to send me to college.
▪ squirrel something away informal to keep something, especially money, in a safe place to be used later:
I wanted to surprise her, so I squirreled away a couple of dollars a week to spend on a present.
▪ economize to spend less money by buying only the things that you really need, or by buying cheaper things:
Weddings can be expensive, but you can economize by doing some things yourself.
II. save 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ save , ↑ saver , ↑ saving , savings, SAVIOUR/SAVIOR ; verb : ↑ save ]
an action in which a player in a game such as football prevents the other team from scoring:
Martin made a brilliant save from Nichol’s shot.
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THESAURUS
■ Actions when using a computer
▪ start up/boot up to make a computer start working:
I’m having problems starting up my computer.
▪ log on/in to start using a computer system by typing your name and password:
He logged on and read his emails.
▪ click on something to press a button on a computer mouse to choose a program, file etc from the screen:
When you click on the link, it sends you to the company’s website.
▪ install to add new software to a computer so that the software is ready to be used:
All users should install anti-virus software.
▪ download to move information, pictures, or music from the Internet onto your computer:
You can download MP3 files.
▪ upload to move information, pictures, or music from your computer to a different computer across the Internet:
Sites such as YouTube allow you to upload your own videos.
▪ open to make a file or program ready to use:
Open a new file and type in the information.
▪ scroll up/down to move information on a computer screen up or down so that you can read it:
Scroll down to read the questions and answers.
▪ enter to type information into a computer:
The program requires you to enter a password.
▪ delete to remove information from a computer:
I’ve deleted his email.
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When you delete a file, it first gets moved to the recycle bin.
▪ cut and paste to remove information from one place and put it in another place:
Tutors are looking out for students who cut and paste their essays from the Internet.
▪ save to make a computer keep the work that you have done on it:
Make sure you save any work you do before you shut the computer down.
▪ close to stop having a file or program ready to use:
To close the window, click on the ‘X’ in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
▪ log off/out to stop using a computer system by giving it particular instructions:
I get an error message when I log off.
▪ shut down to make a computer stop working:
Employees should shut their computers down at the end of each day.
▪ restart/reboot to make a computer start working again:
Wait a few minutes before rebooting your computer.
III. save 3 BrE AmE ( also ˈsave for ) preposition formal
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: sauf , from sauf (adjective); ⇨ ↑ safe 1 ]
except:
She answered all the questions save one.
save that
Little is known about his early life, save that he had a brother.
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THESAURUS
▪ except used when saying that a statement does not include a particular person or thing. At the beginning of a sentence, you must use except for , not just except , before a noun:
The office is open every day except Sundays.
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Except for a man walking his dog, the park was empty.
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Most of the critics liked the play, except for one critic on the 'Los Angeles Times'.
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Except for a few years in the early sixties and seventies, inflation has been a continuing feature of American life since World War II.
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The area looks very much like the state of Iowa, except that it is surrounded by beautiful snow-covered mountains.
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Except in an emergency, these doors must remain closed.
▪ apart from/aside from used when mentioning one or two things that do not fit the main thing that you are saying:
Aside from one or two minor errors, this is an excellent piece of research.
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The films were all made in Hollywood, apart from one, which was made in the UK.
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The weather was not very good in the first week. Apart from that, it was a good holiday.
▪ excluding/not including used when saying that something, especially a total number or amount, does not include a particular thing or person. Excluding is more formal than not including :
The software costs $49.95, not including tax.
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Excluding students, the total number of unemployed rose from 2 million to 2.3 million.
▪ with the exception of formal except for one particular person or thing:
Denmark has more wind turbines than any other place in the world, with the exception of California.
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With the exception of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women.
▪ but used especially after words such as nothing, all, any, anyone, everything or everyone when saying that something is the only thing, or someone is the only person:
There is nothing but trees, for mile after mile.
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The garment covers everything but the eyes.
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All but a few of her family died of the disease.
▪ save formal used for mentioning the only person or thing which is not included in what you are saying:
Every man she had ever loved, save her father, was now dead.