save face
To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honourTo take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.
» Tom is just trying to save face.
Meaning
1 senses(idiomatic)To take an action or make a gesture intended to preserve one's reputation or honour.
He tried to make reparations to those he had injured, partly to save face.
das Gesicht wahren
сохрани́ть лицо́soxranítʹ licó
Examples
13 sentencesTom is just trying to save face.
Tom's just trying to save face.
Том просто намагається зберегти обличчя.
You can save face with a happy smile.
Why don't you save face and get lost?
She tried to the end to save face.
ruОна до последнего старалась держать лицо.
deSie bemühte sich bis zuletzt, das Gesicht zu wahren.
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
See lose face.See lose face.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
saves face, saving face, saved face, saved face| Base form | save face · to save face |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | saves face |
| Present participle | saving face |
| Past simple | saved face |
| Past participle | saved face |
irregular
Word family
2 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle