saves

1. 1
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present indicative of save.

   The new policy saves the company thousands of dollars each year.

   A quick reaction saves the diver from a dangerous fall.

   Note

   A singular subject takes this form in the present (she saves, the policy saves), and in every meaning it needs an object. That object can be a person rescued, a thing kept safe, a soul redeemed or a shot stopped. When it means sparing someone, it often takes two objects: it saves us the trouble, it saves the company money. The object is also what marks it as a verb rather than the plural noun.

2. 2
   noun

   Plural of save.

   The coach praised the keeper for a string of difficult saves late in the match.

   She loaded one of her earlier saves to undo the mistake in the game.

   Note

   One spelling covers every kind of rescue that can be counted: a goalkeeper's blocks, a relief pitcher's preserved wins, a game's stored files. In wrestling slang, saves are the moments teammates rush the ring to help someone who is being beaten. Only context separates the noun from the present-tense verb, which is spelled the same: the keeper's saves versus the keeper saves.

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