saving

English

Etymology

From save +‎ -ing.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪvɪŋ

Noun

saving (countable and uncountable; plural savings)

1. A reduction in cost or expenditure.

   The shift of the supplier gave us a saving of 10 percent.

2. (countable, usually plural) Something (usually money) that is saved.

   I invested all my savings in gold.

3. (uncountable) The action of the verb to save.
4. (obsolete) exception; reservation
   • L'Estrange

     Contend not with those that are too strong for us, but still with a saving to honesty.

Translations

reduction in cost

• Finnish: säästö (fi)

• Norwegian: besparelse m, økonomisering c

something saved

• Finnish: säästöt (fi) pl

• Norwegian: besparelser m

action of saving

• Finnish: säästäminen (fi)

Verb

saving

1. Present participle of save.

Adjective

saving (comparative more saving, superlative most saving)

1. (theology) That saves someone from damnation; redemptive. [from 14th c.]
2. Thrifty; frugal. [from 15th c.]
   • 1932, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Sunset Song, Polygon 2006 (A Scots Quair), p. 14:

     Three of her bairns were drowned at sea, fishing off the Bervie braes they had been, but the fourth, the boy Cospatric, him that died the same day as the Old Queen, he was douce and saving and sensible, and set putting the estate to rights.

Preposition

saving

1. With the exception of; except; save.
   • Bible, Revelations ii. 17

     And in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

2. Without disrespect to.
   • Shakespeare

     Saving your reverence.

   • Burns

     Saving your presence.

Derived terms

• life savings
• saving grace