sauve qui peut

English

Pronunciation

/ˌsoʊv ki ˈpʊ/

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French sauve qui peut.

Noun

sauve qui peut

1. A case of every man for himself.
   • 1858, Sir Edward Cust, Annals of the Wars of the Eighteenth Century, page 120:

     […] a select body of his cavalry were seen galloping from the field with a sauve qui peut.

   • 1865, Sheridan Le Fanu, Uncle Silas:

     We heard a step softly approaching the open door, and, in a horrible sauve qui peut, we rushed and stumbled together toward the light by Uncle Silas's bed.

   • 1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London:

     If it comes to a sauve qui peut you fellows may get away but this connects me up past explaining.

French

Etymology

Literally, “may he who can, save himself”, or more loosely translated as “save yourself if you can”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sov ki pø/

Phrase

sauve qui peut

1. (poetic or literary) every man for himself; devil take the hindmost

   Synonym: chacun pour soi

Derived terms

• sauve-qui-peut