saving
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.the money you have kept and not spent, usually in a bank account.
n.the accumulation of money set aside for future use rather than immediate consumption; typically used in the plural.
Simple“She used her savings to buy a new car after her old one broke down.”
In context“After years of disciplined budgeting, they had accumulated enough savings to provide a substantial down payment on their first home.”
PitfallI have a lot of saving in the bank. I have a lot of savings in the bank.When referring to the money you have kept, use the plural form 'savings'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.an amount of money or time that you do not have to use or spend.
n.a reduction in the amount of a resource, such as time or money, required for a specific purpose.
Simple“Buying the larger box offers a saving of two dollars.”
In context“The new insulation system resulted in a significant saving on the factory's annual energy expenditure.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
adj.something that rescues someone or makes a bad situation better.
adj.having the property of rescuing from harm, failure, or moral damnation.
Simple“His sense of humor was his only saving grace in a very difficult meeting.”
In context“The protagonist's saving act of courage at the end of the novel provides a sense of moral resolution for the reader.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
prep.a formal way to say 'except' or 'but'.
prep.excluding; with the exception of. Often used in formal or literary contexts.
Simple“The room was empty saving for a single wooden chair in the corner.”
In context“The contract was finalized and agreed upon by all parties, saving for a minor clause regarding the delivery schedule.”
Usage saving lives
“Her savings pay for things she cannot get for free: this year the big thing she was saving for was the college ski trip.”
“The costs appear immediately, while the savings arrive years later – often benefiting a different government.”
From save + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.