I. ˈsāv verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English saven, from Old French sauver, salver, from Late Latin salvare, from Latin salvus safe — more at safe
transitive verb
1.
a. : to deliver from sin : rescue from condemnation and spiritual death and bring into spiritual life
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — 1 Tim 1:15 (Revised Standard Version)
b.
(1) : to rescue or deliver from danger or harm : make safe
any human life is to be saved if it can be saved — Harvey Flack
risked his life to save his friend from drowning
the retailers who were saved by wholesalers during the depression — J.I.Grant
God save the king
— used formerly in phrases of greeting
God save you
save you
(2) obsolete : to spare instead of slaying : permit to live
c.
(1) : to maintain intact : preserve , safeguard
save his honor
save her reputation
save his credit
save appearances
save face
(2) : to preserve in a specified state or condition — used especially in the phrase save harmless
agreed to indemnify and save harmless the contractor from any and all loss — Federal Supplement
d. : to deliver from an anticipated or likely danger, difficulty, or annoyance
vaccinate children to save them from smallpox
grasped him by the arm to save him from falling
e. : to rescue or deliver from destruction
saved the Union
put out the fire and saved the house
f. : to preserve or guard from injury, destruction, or loss
save the paint from cracking
save the coat from damage by moths
2.
a. : to put by as a store or reserve : accumulate , hoard
saves part of his salary each week
b.
(1) : to put aside for a particular purpose or occasion
saves his best suit for special dates
saves her best dishes for company
(2) : to keep for the use of another
his outgrown clothing was saved for his younger brother
saved a seat for his wife
(3) : to keep in reserve : hold in abeyance
saving him for another spot in this story — Green Peyton
saved his most convincing point for the end of his speech
c.
(1) : to keep from being spent, wasted, or lost
walks to work to save carfare
saves several dollars a week by careful shopping
saves time by taking a shortcut
(2) : to preserve in serviceable condition by careful or sparing use
his youthful hose well saved — Shakespeare
(3) : to use or manage with discretion : conserve , husband
cut down on his reading in order to save his eyes
his doctor warned him to save his strength
saving himself to become a great pitcher — John Lardner
3.
a. : to make unnecessary : enable one to avoid : avoid
it saves a 50-mile detour — Ford Times
saved them the trouble of looking for a parking place
b.
(1) : to keep from being lost to an opponent
a fine relief pitcher who has saved many games
(2) : to prevent an opponent from scoring or winning (as a goal, wager, trick, or card)
c. chiefly Britain : to avoid missing : be in time for : catch
save the train
save the mail
4. archaic : to account for : explain
these were the phenomena which they had to save — Benjamin Farrington
intransitive verb
1. : to rescue or deliver someone
bow hither out of heaven and see and save — A.E.Houseman
2.
a. : to accumulate savings : put by money
would rather save than spend
— often used with up
started to save up for a trip abroad
b. : to avoid unnecessary waste or expense : economize
saves on food by using leftovers
c. : to last in good condition : keep
doesn't buy as much bread as she used to, because it doesn't save — F.C.Othman
3. : to make a save
the visiting goalie went to the ice to save — New York Times
Synonyms: see rescue
•
- save ground
- save one's bacon
II. noun
( -s )
: the act or an instance of saving
the goalie went down on all fours and smothered the shot to make a honey of a save — Cortland Fitzsimmons
the audience is teased with the hope of a sentimental save — Time
III. preposition
Etymology: Middle English save, sauf, saf, from Old French sauf, saf, salf, from sauf, saf, salf, adjective, safe — more at safe
1. : with the exception of : barring
the two poems have nothing in common save the title — T.O.Mabbott
has a boomtown psychology in every respect save zoning — Hal Burton
2. : other than : but , except
no question save in the minds of prejudiced people
without duties save eat and sleep
entirely dark save for one light
IV. conjunction
Etymology: Middle English save, sauf, saf, from Old French sauf, saf, salf, from sauf, saf, salf, adjective, safe
1. : were it not : only — used with that
a similar system is followed in the cheese factories, save that the farmers usually bring in their own milk — McGill News
2. : but , except — used before a word often taken to be the subject of a clause
no one knows about it save she
all the conspirators save only he — Shakespeare
3. : unless
save they could be plucked asunder, all my quest were but in vain — Alfred Tennyson
V. transitive verb
: to store (data) in a computer or on a storage device (as a floppy disk)