What does "save-all" mean?
Something that prevents waste or loss.
Save-all
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Something that prevents waste or loss.
- Grammar: save-all is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: avaricious, cheap, churl, close.
- Usage evidence: Casting my fortunes at Mrs. Thompson's, I soon became initiated into the etiquette and usage of that polite caravansary; and I now write of that era of two-pronged forks, and when “saveall” was the choicest dish, and the observances at the table not altogether Chesterfieldian.
How to use "save-all"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "save-all" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "save-all" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "save-all" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "save-all" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "save-all" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "avaricious" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "save-all", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Something that prevents waste or loss. archaic
"Casting my fortunes at Mrs. Thompson's, I soon became initiated into the etiquette and usage of that polite caravansary; and I now write of that era of two-pronged forks, and when “saveall” was the choicest dish, and the observances at the table not altogether Chesterfieldian."
- 2 a net hung between ship and pier while loading a ship wordnet
- 3 A device in a candlestick to hold the ends of candles, so they can be burned all the way down. historical
"The remainder of the furniture consisted of a flat-candlestick, with a saveall; but, for snuffers, Bronze used her scissors, or indeed, upon most occasions, her fingers."
- 4 a sail set to catch wind spilled from a larger sail wordnet
- 5 A trough to prevent waste in a paper-making machine.
"At the end of the "save-all", where the fibers are to leave the "wire" for the next stage of their journey, suction-boxes are placed, provided with an air-pump to take up the surplus water that has not yet found its way through the meshes."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 a receptacle for catching waste products for further use wordnet
- 7 A small sail sometimes set under the foot of another sail, to catch the wind that would pass under it. historical
"Save-all sails I believe are commonly laced on to the foot of other sails, in light weather—she had something of this description under her lower studding sails."
Example
"Casting my fortunes at Mrs. Thompson's, I soon became initiated into the etiquette and usage of that polite caravansary; and I now write of that era of two-pronged forks, and when “saveall” was the choicest dish, and the observances at the table not altogether Chesterfieldian."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "save-all"?
Common synonyms include: avaricious, cheap, churl, close, closefisted, illiberal.
How do you use "save-all" in a sentence?
Casting my fortunes at Mrs. Thompson's, I soon became initiated into the etiquette and usage of that polite caravansary; and I now write of that era of two-pronged forks, and when “saveall” was the choicest dish, and the observances at the table not altogether Chesterfieldian.