# save

/ˈseɪv/ (US) · /sˈeɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/save
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to rescue

verb · CEFR A1

to stop someone or something from being hurt, killed, or destroyed.

For teachers: to rescue someone or something from harm, danger, or destruction.

- The brave lifeguard jumped into the water to save the struggling swimmer.
- The emergency services worked tirelessly through the night to save the historic building from the spreading wildfire.

### 2. to keep money

verb · CEFR A1

to keep money so that you can use it later.

For teachers: to accumulate money by spending less than one earns or by putting it aside for future use.

- I am trying to save fifty dollars every month for my summer holiday.
- Financial advisors generally recommend that young professionals save at least fifteen percent of their monthly income for long-term retirement goals.

### 3. to store data

verb · CEFR A2

to make a computer keep your work so you do not lose it.

For teachers: to write data from a computer's temporary memory to a permanent storage medium.

- Don't forget to save your document before you close the laptop.
- The software is configured to automatically save progress every five minutes to prevent data loss in the event of a system crash.

### 4. to avoid wasting

verb · CEFR A2

to avoid using too much of something like time, energy, or space.

For teachers: to prevent the waste or unnecessary consumption of a resource.

- Taking the motorway will save us at least twenty minutes on our trip.
- Installing solar panels and better insulation can save a significant amount of energy during the winter months.

### 5. sports/goalkeeping

noun · CEFR B1

an act of stopping a ball from going into the goal.

For teachers: an instance of a goalkeeper preventing the opposing team from scoring a goal.

- The goalkeeper made a brilliant save in the final minute of the match.
- The crowd erupted when the keeper pulled off a spectacular fingertip save, pushing the ball just wide of the post.

### 6. stored file

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a file that records your progress in a game or computer program.

For teachers: a recorded state of a computer program or video game that allows a user to resume from that point.

- I lost three hours of gameplay because my last save was corrupted.
- The latest patch allows players to transfer their manual saves between different gaming consoles using a cloud service.

### 7. except

preposition · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

except for one person or thing.

For teachers: excluding; with the exception of. Used to indicate that the following noun is the only exception to a statement.

- The room was completely empty save for a single wooden chair.
- The entire board of directors voted in favour of the merger, save for the chairman, who remained unconvinced by the financial projections.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun or phrase it excludes.

### 8. unless

conjunction · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

except that; unless.

For teachers: except that; used to introduce a clause that limits a previous statement.

- I would have arrived on time, save that my train was delayed.
- Little is known of the poet's early life, save that he was born into a family of modest means in a small coastal village.

## Examples

- The goalkeeper made an amazing save in the final minute.
- After the goalkeeper made a diving save, the crowd cheered loudly for the home team.
- The veteran goalie's spectacular save preserved the narrow lead, demonstrating the quick reflexes that have defined his career in professional hockey.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.