English Reference
Idiom idiom

save something for a rainy day


To save something just in case one may need it.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

I save some money for a rainy day.

CONTEXTUAL

She keeps a small amount of extra cash in her drawer to save for a rainy day.

COMPLEX

Rather than spending his entire bonus, he chose to save a portion for a rainy day, ensuring he would have security if his circumstances changed.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    a cold day in July

    The time of occurrence of an event that will never happen.

  2. 02

    a day late and a dollar short

    Too late and too feeble to achieve the desired effect.

  3. 03

    a little of something goes a long way

    Only a small amount of something is usually required to produce a great effect.

  4. 04

    a year and a day

    A long time.

  5. 05

    all one's born days

    One's whole life.

  6. 06

    as the day is long

    Unceasingly; very; thoroughly; to a very high degree.

  7. 07

    bad hair day

    A day when things seem to be unmanageable or go wrong.

  8. 08

    bad old days

    The past, seen as a time when things were worse.

Last updated August 10, 2026