save someone's face
English edit
Verb edit
save someone's face (third-person singular simple present saves someone's face, present participle saving someone's face, simple past and past participle saved someone's face)
- (idiomatic) to preserve someone's pride, especially as defined by customary social settings.
Related terms edit
References edit
- “save someone’s face”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.