save

UK: /ˈseɪv/ US: /seɪv/ ,'save': (sāv); 'Save': (sä′və)

Inflections of 'save' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

saves

v 3rd person singular

saving

v pres p

saved

v past

saved

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

save¹ /seɪv/   v., saved, sav•ing, n. 
v. 

1. to rescue from danger or harm:
   [~ + object] saved the boy from the floodwaters.
2. to keep safe or unhurt:
   [~ + object] "God save the queen,'' they shouted.
3. [~ + object]
   • to keep from being lost:
     He came in and tried to save the game.
   • to keep;
     retain:
     Save your cancelled checks as proof of payment.
4. to avoid the using up of (some resource): [~ + object]
   to save fuel by driving at 55 mph.
   [~ + on + object]
   The business could save on expenditures.
5. • to set (money) aside for later use or need: [~ + object]
     to save money for college.
     [no object]
     We'll just have to save for college.
     [~ + up + object]
     to save up some money for college.
     [~ + object + up]
     to save some money up.
   • to put (something) aside for later use;
     reserve;
     hold: [~ + object + for + object]
     to save a piece of pie for him.
     [~ + object + object]
     to save him a piece of pie.
6. • [~ + object + object] to prevent the occurrence, use, or necessity of (something):
     The computer will save you the trouble of having to type your paper again.
   • [~ + object + from + object] to prevent (someone) from experiencing something bad, etc.:
     This will save you from having to retype your paper.
7. Religion [~ + object] to deliver from the consequences of sin.
8. Computing to copy (computer data) onto a hard or floppy disk, etc.:
   [~ + object] Save your file before turning off the computer.
9. Sport to stop (a ball or puck) from entering one's goal:
   [~ + object] The goalie saved forty shots.

n. [countable]

10. a goalkeeper's act of preventing a goal:
    She made a diving save on that hard shot.

Idioms

11. Idioms save someone's neck or skin, to rescue oneself or another from harm or danger:
    ran away from the battlefield because he wanted to save his own skin.

sav•a•ble, save•a•ble, adj. 
sav•er, n. [countable]

save² /seɪv/   prep. 

1. Also, save for. except;
   but:
   They all left save (for) one.

conj. 

2. except;
   but:
   He would have gone, save that he had no money for travel.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

save¹  (sāv), v., saved, sav•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to rescue from danger or possible harm, injury, or loss:
   to save someone from drowning.
2. to keep safe, intact, or unhurt;
   safeguard;
   preserve:
   God save the king.
3. to keep from being lost:
   to save the game.
4. to avoid the spending, consumption, or waste of:
   to save fuel.
5. to keep, as for reuse:
   to save leftovers for tomorrow's dinner.
6. to set aside, reserve, or lay by:
   to save money.
7. Sport to treat carefully in order to reduce wear, fatigue, etc.:
   to save one's eyes by reading under proper light.
8. to prevent the occurrence, use, or necessity of;
   obviate:
   to come early in order to save waiting.
9. Religion [Theol.] to deliver from the power and consequences of sin.
10. Computing to copy (a file) from RAM onto a disk or other storage medium.
11. Sport to stop (a ball or puck) from entering one's goal.

v.i. 

12. to lay up money as the result of economy or thrift.
13. to be economical in expenditure.
14. to preserve something from harm, injury, loss, etc.
15. to admit of being kept without spoiling, as food.

n. 

16. an act or instance of saving, esp. in sports.
17. [Baseball.] a statistical credit given a relief pitcher for preserving a team's victory by holding its lead in a game.

• Late Latin salvāre to save; see safe
• Old French sauver
• Middle English sa(u)ven 1175–1225

sav′a•ble, save′a•ble, adj. 
sav′a•ble•ness, save′a•ble•ness, n. 
sav′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. salvage.
• 6. store up, husband.
• 12. economize, hoard.

save²  (sāv), prep. 

1. except;
   but:
   All the guests had left save one.

conj. 

2. except;
   but (usually fol. by that):
   He would have gone, save that he had no means.

• 1250–1300; Middle English; variant of safe

Synonyms

• 1. See except ¹.

Save  (sä′və), n. 

1. Place Names Sava.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

save / seɪv/ verb

1. (transitive) to rescue, preserve, or guard (a person or thing) from danger or harm
2. to avoid the spending, waste, or loss of (money, possessions, etc)
3. (transitive) to deliver from sin; redeem
4. (often followed by up) to set aside or reserve (money, goods, etc) for future use
5. (transitive) to treat with care so as to avoid or lessen wear or degeneration: use a good light to save your eyes
6. (transitive) to prevent the necessity for; obviate the trouble of: good work now will save future revision
7. (transitive) to prevent (a goal) by stopping (a struck ball or puck)

noun

1. the act of saving a goal
2. an instruction to write information from the memory onto a tape or disk

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French salver, via Late Latin from Latin salvus safe

ˈsavable, ˈsaveable adjective

ˈsavableness, ˈsaveableness noun

ˈsaver noun

save / seɪv/ preposition

1. Also: saving (often followed by for) with the exception of

conjunction

1. but; except

Etymology: 13th Century sauf, from Old French, from Latin salvō, from salvus safe

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

Sa•va  (sä′vä), n. 

1. Place Names a river flowing E from W Slovenia, through Croatia to the Danube at Belgrade, Yugoslavia. 450 mi. (725 km) long.

Also, Save. German, Sau. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Sava / ˈsɑːvə/, Save / sɑːv/ noun

1. a river in SE Europe, rising in NW Slovenia and flowing east and south to the Danube at Belgrade. Length: 940 km (584 miles)