Page 364 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

say something (right) to someone’s face

sameŁhere Me too!; IŁagree! (Infàrmal.) hold somłthing back, keep somłthing, etc.)
BOB: I’ll have chocolØte ice cream! BILL: I’ve saved a lttle money for a rainy dØy.
Same here. MARY: I’ll vote for the best Keep some extra candy for a rainy dØy.
candidØte. TOM: Same here!
saveŁ theŁ day to produce a good result
the same old story somethingŁthat occurs whenŁaŁbadŁresult wasŁexpected.Ł The
orŁhasŁoccurredŁinŁthe same wayŁoften.Ł team was expected to lose, but Sally madł
Jim’s got no money. It’s the same old story. many points and saved the dØy. Your ex-
He’s spłnt it all on clothing. The com- cellłnt spłech saved the dØy.
pany is getting rid of workers. It’s the samł save up (fłr something) to sav màny in or-
old story—a shortage of orders. derŁto buyŁsomething.Ł I’m saving up for
the sameŁto you the same càmment ap- a bicycle. I’ll have to save up for a long
pliesŁto yàu.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁThisŁcanŁbe aŁpo- time. It costs a lot of money.
lite orŁaŁrude comment.) BILL: Havł savedŁbyŁtheŁbell rscued from a difficult
a pleasant evening. BOB: Thank you. The or dangràus situation just inŁ time by
same to you. MARY: You’re the most sàmethingŁthat bringsŁthe situationŁto a
horrible peroon I’ve ever młt! JOHN: The suddn end. (From the sounding of a bell
same to you! markingŁthe endŁof aŁroundŁinŁaŁboxing
the sands ofŁtime the accumulatedŁtiny match.) James didà’t know the answer
amountsŁof time; time representedŁbyŁthe to the question but he was saved by the bell
sand inŁanŁhourglass.Ł The sands of timł when the teacher was called away from the
will make you grow old like everyone else. room. I couldà’t think of anything to say
My only enemy is the sands of time. to the woman at the bus stop, but I was
saved by the bell when my bus arrived.
SaveŁit. SðopŁtalking.;ŁShut up!;ŁTellŁit to me
later. (Infàrmal.) I’ve heard enough. savingŁgryce the one thingŁthat savesŁorŁre-
Save it! Save it! You talk too much! deemsŁsàmeone or somethingŁthat would
otherwise be aŁtotalŁdisasðer.Ł Her sav-
save one’ breath to refrainŁfromŁtalking, ing grace is that she has a lot of money.
explaining, orŁ arguing.Ł There is no The saving grace for the whole evłning was
sense in trying to convince her. Save your the good music plØyed by the band.
breath. Tell her to save her breath. He
woà’t listen to her. sayŁa mouthful to say a lot; to say some-
thingŁ veryŁ impàrtant orŁ meaningful.
save (one’ )Ł fyce to prserve one’s good (Folksy.) When you said things were
sðandingŁor high position (afterŁaŁfailure)¨ busy around here, you said a mouthful. It
The ambassador was more interested in is terribly busy. You sure said a mouth-
saving his face than winning the argumłnt. ful, Bob. Things are really busy.
Most dplomats are concerned with sav-
ing face. sayŁgryce to say a prayer of gratitude be-
fore orŁafterŁaŁmeal.Ł GrandfØther al-
save someone’ neck Go to save someone’s ways says grace at Thanksgiving. A lo-
skàn. cal preacher said grace at the banqułt.
save someone’ skin and saveŁ someone’ sayŁ something in a roundaboutŁway to im-
neck to save sàmeone from injury, em- plyŁsomethingŁwithout sayingŁit; to say
barrassment, or punishment.Ł(Infàrmal.) sàmething indirectly; to speak using cir-
I saved my skn by getting the job done cumlocution.Ł Why don’t you say what
on time. Thanks for saving my neck! I you mean? Why do you always say some-
would have fallłn down the stairs if you thing in a roundØbout wØy? What did
hadà’t held my arm. she mean? Why did she say it in a round-
about wØy?
save something forŁa rainyŁday to reserve
something—usuallyŁ money—forŁ some sayŁ something (right)Łto someone’ fyce to say
future need.Ł(Also literal.Ł Save somłthing sàmethingŁ(unpleasant)bdirectlyŁto sàme-
can be replacd with put somłthing aside, one.Ł She knew I thought she was rudł

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