Meaning of save In English

• 0 to stop someone or something from being killed, injured, or destroyed:

  • Wearing seat belts has saved many lives.

  • He fell in the river but his friend saved him from drowning.

  • He had to borrow money to save his business.

  • He was desperately trying to save their failing marriage.

  • We all need to do our part to save the planet.

  • The former tennis champion was now serving to save the match (= to win the next point so that the other player did not win this part of the competition).

  • Thanks for helping me with that report - you saved my life!

• 1 to keep something, especially money, for use in the future:

  • Tom's been saving his pocket money every week.

  • We're saving (up) for a new car.

  • I save all my old letters in case I want to read them again.

  • Save me a place at your table, OK?

  • Don't forget to save your work regularly.

  • To save, press Control S.

• 2 to prevent time, money, or effort being wasted or spent:

  • You'll save time if you take the car.

  • [ + two objects ] Thanks for your help - it saved me a lot of work.

  • [ + -ing verb ] I'll lend you a bag for your trip - it'll save you buying one.

  • informal Can you save it for later (= tell me your news later when I am less busy)?

• 3 in football and similar games, to stop the ball from going into the goal when a player on the other team has kicked or hit it

• 4 in football or similar games, when a player stops the ball from going into the goal when it is hit or kicked by a player from the other team:

  • The goalkeeper made a great save in the last minute of the game.

• 5 but or except for:

  • They found all the lost documents save one.

• 6 to make or keep someone or something safe from danger or harm, or to bring something back to a satisfactory condition:

  • She jumped into the pool and saved the child from drowning.

  • His leg was partly crushed in the accident but the surgeon was able to save it.

  • Smoke detectors can save lives.

• 7 to keep money or something else for use in the future:

  • [ I ] I’m saving (up) for a new bike and I’ve got almost $100.

  • [ T ] If you save the receipts from your business trip, the company will reimburse you.

  • [ T ] I forgot to get milk – will you save my place in line while I get it?

• 8 to prevent time, money, or effort from being lost or spent, or to help someone by taking an action to prevent time, money, etc., from being lost:

  • [ T ] You’ll save time if you take the car.

  • [ T ] The governor claims he can save the taxpayers $10 million a year.

  • [ T ] If you’d stop and pick up the kids on your way home, it will save me from having to do it later.

• 9 (in some sports) the stopping of the ball or other object from going into the goal you are defending:

  • We watched a soccer game on TV, and the goalie made several spectacular saves.

• 10 but or except (for):

  • They found all the lost documents save one.

  • The walls were bare save for a poster.

• 11 to keep money so that you can use it in the future:

  • save (up) for sth They are saving for a deposit on a house.

  • save (sth) to do sth His father saved enough money to open a grocery store.

• 12 to avoid using or wasting something such as time, money, or effort:

  • save energy/money/time

  • By combining those operations, the organizations will save $1.5 million annually.

  • save sb sth Thanks for your help - it saved me a lot of work.

  • The upgraded bond ratings could save the city $10 million.

  • save on sth If people do not want paper billing, we save on mailing costs.

• 13 to put information on a computer onto a computer disk:

  • save sth to sth Save the file to the hard disk.

  • save sth as sth The plug-in lets you save files as MP3s.

  • When you are working on the computer, make sure that you save regularly.

• 14 to avoid or help someone avoid seeming stupid or being embarrassed:

  • The industry is simply trying to save face by dropping a lawsuit they realize is a loser.