What is save? Pronunciation and usage in English

save means . Learn how to pronounce and use save through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of save

saveverb

/seɪv/
Definition & pronunciation of save

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "save" in English. There are a couple of common pronunciations, and they're subtly different!

1. The most common pronunciation (American English):

  • Sounds like: "sav" (rhymes with "cave")
  • Phonetic transcription: /sæv/
  • Breakdown:
    • "s": Pronounced as in "sun" (a quick, short "s" sound).
    • "a": Like the "a" in "cat" - a short, open vowel sound.
    • "ve": Pronounced as in "very" – a brief "v" sound followed by an "er" sound.

2. The British English pronunciation:

  • Sounds like: "seev" (rhymes with "leave")
  • Phonetic transcription: /seɪv/
  • Breakdown:
    • "s": Pronounced as in "sun".
    • "e": A long "e" sound, like in "see."
    • "v": Pronounced as in "very."

Here's a quick way to remember:

  • American: Think of "cave" – "sav"
  • British: Think of "leave" – "seev"

Resources for Hearing the Pronunciation:

To help me give you even more tailored advice, could you tell me:

  • Where are you (or where do you want to sound)? (e.g., American, British, Australian?)

Usage and examples with the word save in English

Let's break down how to use the word "save" in English. It's a very versatile word with lots of different meanings! Here's a breakdown categorized for clarity:

1. Saving Money/Resources:

  • To protect money for the future: This is the most common meaning.
    • "I need to save money for a new car."
    • "She saves every week to reach her savings goal."
    • "Don't spend all your money; save some!"
  • To preserve resources (like water or energy):
    • "Turn off the lights when you leave a room – save energy!"
    • "We need to save water during the drought."

2. Saving Something from Loss or Damage:

  • To rescue something from danger:
    • "The firefighters saved the cat from the burning building."
    • "The lifeguard saved the swimmer from drowning."
  • To protect something from damage or destruction:
    • “Please save my plate – it’s fragile.”
    • "They saved the ancient ruins from demolition."
  • To prevent something from being lost:
    • "I saved his email address so you can contact him." (Like copying and pasting)

3. Saving Time/Effort:

  • To preserve time:
    • “Let’s save an hour by taking the train instead of driving.”
  • To accomplish something quickly and efficiently:
    • “I saved a lot of time by using a shortcut.”
    • “She saved me a lot of trouble by handling the paperwork.”

4. Saving Data/Files (Computer Related):

  • To store data on a storage device: This is a very common use in the digital age.
    • "Don't forget to save your work!"
    • “I saved the file to my desktop.”
    • "You can save your progress in the game."

5. Saving (in a situation or problem):

  • To rescue someone or something from a bad situation:
    • "He saved her from a difficult situation."
    • "The doctor saved his life."

6. "Save" as a Verb vs. "Saving" as a Noun:

  • Save (verb): The action of protecting, preserving, or rescuing. (e.g., "I save money.")
  • Saving (noun): Accumulated money or resources. (e.g., "She has a large savings account.")

Here are some helpful phrases using "save":

  • Save for later: To put money aside for a future purchase or goal.
  • Save your seat: To reserve a place.
  • Save the best for last: To reserve the most enjoyable part of an experience until the end.
  • Save face: To avoid embarrassment or shame.

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • What kind of context are you thinking about when you want to use "save"? (e.g., personal finances, computer use, a specific situation?)

Synonyms for the word save

Idioms of the word save

not be able to do something to save your life
(informal)to be completely unable to do something
  • He can't interview people to save his life.
save somebody’s bacon/neck
(informal)to rescue somebody from a very difficult situation
  • He's out to save his own political neck.
save your breath
(informal)used to tell somebody that it is not worth wasting time and effort saying something because it will not change anything
  • Save your breath—you'll never persuade her.
  • It's useless talking to him—you may as well save your breath.
save the day/situation
to prevent failure or defeat, when this seems certain to happen
  • Salah's late goal saved the day for Liverpool.
save (somebody’s) face
to avoid or help somebody avoid being embarrassed
  • She was fired, but she saved face by telling everyone she'd resigned.
save your (own) skin/hide/neck
to try to avoid death, punishment, etc., especially by leaving others in an extremely difficult situation
  • To save his own skin, he lied and blamed the accident on his friend.

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