saved by the bell Definition

save
verb saved, saving

1. To rescue, protect or preserve someone or something from danger, evil, loss or failure.

Thesaurus: rescue, deliver, extricate, liberate, emancipate, release, free; Antonym: abandon, sacrifice, surrender, condemn.
2. To use economically so as to prevent or avoid waste or loss.
intr
3. To be economical, especially with money.

Example: We're saving for the future
4. To reserve or store for later use.

Thesaurus: collect, cache, store, put aside, squirrel away, lay up, amass, accumulate, gather, hoard, husband, salt away; Antonym: spend, waste, squander, disperse.
5. To spare from potential unpleasantness or inconvenience.

Example: Doing a dissertation saves you having to do two exams
Example: That will save you having to make another trip
6. To obviate or prevent.
7. sport.
To prevent (a ball or shot) from reaching the goal; to prevent (a goal) from being scored by the opposing team.
tr & intr
8. relig.
To deliver from the influence or consequences of sin; to act as a saviour.
Example: Jesus saves
9. computing.
To transfer (data, the contents of a computer file, etc) onto a disk or tape for storage.

noun

1. An act of saving a ball or shot, or of preventing a goal.

Example: He made a great save in that match
2. computing.
The saving of data onto a disk or tape.

prep

1. Except.

Example: Save for one, John lost all the books
Example: We found all the tickets save one
Form: save for (sometimes)

conj

1. old use
Were it not that; unless.
Example: I would have gone with her, save that she had already left
Form: save that (often)

Derivative: savable
adj

Derivative: saver
noun

Idiom: saved by the bell

Note: often exclamation
Rescued or saved from a difficult or unpleasant situation by a welcome interruption.

Idiom: save one's or someone's bacon

To enable oneself or them to escape or come off unscathed from a difficult situation.

Idiom: save one's or someone's face

To prevent oneself or them from appearing foolish or wrong; to avoid humiliation.

Idiom: save one's or someone's skin (save one's or someone's neck)

To save one's or their life.
Example: You really saved my skin when you snared the tiger

Idiom: save something for a rainy day (keep something for a rainy day)

See under rainy.

Idiom: save the day

To prevent something from disaster, failure, etc.
Example: Colin saved the day by remembering to bring the map of the maze with him

Etymology: 13c: from French sauver, from Latin salvare, from salvus safe.

Phrasal Verb: save up

To set money aside for future use.
Example: We're saving up for a holiday abroad next year