to save appearances

Save \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.
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            God save all this fair company.       --Chaucer.
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            He cried, saying, Lord, save me.      --Matt. xiv.
                                                  30.
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            Thou hast . . . quitted all to save
            A world from utter loss.              --Milton.
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   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.
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            Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
                                                  --1 Tim. i.
                                                  15.
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   3. To keep from being spent or lost; to secure from waste or
      expenditure; to lay up; to reserve.
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            Now save a nation, and now save a groat. --Pope.
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   4. To rescue from something undesirable or hurtful; to
      prevent from doing something; to spare.
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            I'll save you
            That labor, sir. All's now done.      --Shak.
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   5. To hinder from doing, suffering, or happening; to obviate
      the necessity of; to prevent; to spare.
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            Will you not speak to save a lady's blush? --Dryden.
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   6. To hold possession or use of; to escape loss of.
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            Just saving the tide, and putting in a stock of
            merit.                                --Swift.
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   {To save appearances}, to preserve a decent outside; to avoid
      exposure of a discreditable state of things.
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   Syn: To preserve; rescue; deliver; protect; spare; reserve;
        prevent.
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Appearance \Ap*pear"ance\, n. [F. apparence, L. apparentia, fr.
   apparere. See {Appear}.]
   1. The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of
      becoming visible to the eye; as, his sudden appearance
      surprised me.
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   2. A thing seed; a phenomenon; a phase; an apparition; as, an
      appearance in the sky.
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   3. Personal presence; exhibition of the person; look; aspect;
      mien.
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            And now am come to see . . .
            It thy appearance answer loud report. --Milton.
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   4. Semblance, or apparent likeness; external show. pl.
      Outward signs, or circumstances, fitted to make a
      particular impression or to determine the judgment as to
      the character of a person or a thing, an act or a state;
      as, appearances are against him.
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            There was upon the tabernacle, as it were, the
            appearance of fire.                   --Num. ix. 15.
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            For man looketh on the outward appearance. --1 Sam.
                                                  xvi. 7.
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            Judge not according to the appearance. --John. vii.
                                                  24.
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   5. The act of appearing in a particular place, or in society,
      a company, or any proceedings; a coming before the public
      in a particular character; as, a person makes his
      appearance as an historian, an artist, or an orator.
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            Will he now retire,
            After appearance, and again prolong
            Our expectation?                      --Milton.
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   6. Probability; likelihood. [Obs.]
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            There is that which hath no appearance. --Bacon.
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   7. (Law) The coming into court of either of the parties; the
      being present in court; the coming into court of a party
      summoned in an action, either by himself or by his
      attorney, expressed by a formal entry by the proper
      officer to that effect; the act or proceeding by which a
      party proceeded against places himself before the court,
      and submits to its jurisdiction. --Burrill. --Bouvier.
      --Daniell.
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   {To put in an appearance}, to be present; to appear in
      person.

   {To save appearances}, to preserve a fair outward show.
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   Syn: Coming; arrival; presence; semblance; pretense; air;
        look; manner; mien; figure; aspect.
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