transitive verb saved, saving sav′·ing

1. to rescue or preserve from harm, danger, injury, etc.; make or keep safe
2. to keep in health and well-being: now only in certain formulas God save the king!
3. to preserve for future use; lay by: often with up
4. to prevent or guard against loss or waste of to save time, to save a game
5. to avoid, prevent, lessen, or guard against to save wear and tear
6. to treat or use carefully in order to preserve, lessen wear, etc.
7. Comput. to copy (data, a file, etc.) from random-access memory to a disk, tape, etc. for storage
8. Theol. to deliver from sin and its penalties

Etymology: ME saven < OFr sauver, salver < L salvare < salvus, safe

intransitive verb

1. to avoid expense, loss, waste, etc.; be economical
2. to keep something or someone from danger, harm, etc.
3. to put by money or goods; hoard: often with up
4. to keep; last
5. Theol. to bring about deliverance from sin and its penalties

noun

1. Sports an action that keeps an opponent from scoring or winning
2. ☆ Baseball the preserving of a team's lead by a relief pitcher in the final inning