Save (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Saved (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Saving.] [OE. saven, sauven, salven, OF. salver, sauver, F. sauver, L. salvare, fr. salvus saved, safe. See Safe, a.] 1. To make safe; to procure the safety of; to preserve from injury, destruction, or evil of any kind; to rescue from impending danger; as, to save a house from the flames.
God save all this fair company. Chaucer.
He cried, saying, Lord, save me. Matt. xiv. 30.
Thou hast... quitted all to save
A world from utter loss. Milton.
2. (Theol.) Specifically, to deliver from sin and its penalty; to rescue from a state of condemnation and spiritual death, and bring into a state of spiritual life.
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. i. 15.
3. To keep from being spent or lost; to secure from waste or expenditure; to lay up; to reserve.
Now save a nation, and now save a groat. Pope.
4. To rescue from something undesirable or hurtful; to prevent from doing something; to spare.
I'll save you
That labor, sir. All's now done. Shak.
5. To hinder from doing, suffering, or happening; to obviate the necessity of; to prevent; to spare.
Will you not speak to save a lady's blush? Dryden.
6. To hold possession or use of; to escape loss of.
Just saving the tide, and putting in a stock of merit. Swift.
To save appearances, to preserve a decent outside; to avoid exposure of a discreditable state of things.
Syn. — To preserve; rescue; deliver; protect; spare; reserve; prevent.