What is "to save appearances"

Save \Save\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Saved; p. pr. & vb. n. Saving.] [OE. saven, sauven, salven, OF. salver, sauver, F. sauver, L. salvare, fr. salvus saved, safe. See Safe, a.]

1. To make safe; to procure the safety of; to preserve from injury, destruction, or evil of any kind; to rescue from impending danger; as, to save a house from the flames.

   God save all this fair company.
   --Chaucer.

   He cried, saying, Lord, save me.
   --Matt. xiv. 30.

   Thou hast . . . quitted all to save A world from utter loss.
   --Milton.

2. (Theol.) Specifically, to deliver from sin and its penalty; to rescue from a state of condemnation and spiritual death, and bring into a state of spiritual life.

   Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
   --1 Tim. i. 15.

3. To keep from being spent or lost; to secure from waste or expenditure; to lay up; to reserve.

   Now save a nation, and now save a groat.
   --Pope.

4. To rescue from something undesirable or hurtful; to prevent from doing something; to spare.

   I'll save you That labor, sir. All's now done.
   --Shak.

5. To hinder from doing, suffering, or happening; to obviate the necessity of; to prevent; to spare.

   Will you not speak to save a lady's blush?
   --Dryden.

6. To hold possession or use of; to escape loss of.

   Just saving the tide, and putting in a stock of merit.
   --Swift.

   To save appearances, to preserve a decent outside; to avoid exposure of a discreditable state of things.

   Syn: To preserve; rescue; deliver; protect; spare; reserve; prevent.

Appearance \Ap*pear"ance\, n. [F. apparence, L. apparentia, fr. apparere. See Appear.]

1. The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye; as, his sudden appearance surprised me.

2. A thing seed; a phenomenon; a phase; an apparition; as, an appearance in the sky.

3. Personal presence; exhibition of the person; look; aspect; mien.

   And now am come to see . . . It thy appearance answer loud report.
   --Milton.

4. Semblance, or apparent likeness; external show. pl. Outward signs, or circumstances, fitted to make a particular impression or to determine the judgment as to the character of a person or a thing, an act or a state; as, appearances are against him.

   There was upon the tabernacle, as it were, the appearance of fire.
   --Num. ix. 1

5. For man looketh on the outward appearance.
   --1 Sam. xvi. 7.

   Judge not according to the appearance.
   --John. vii. 24.

   5. The act of appearing in a particular place, or in society, a company, or any proceedings; a coming before the public in a particular character; as, a person makes his appearance as an historian, an artist, or an orator.

   Will he now retire, After appearance, and again prolong Our expectation?
   --Milton.

6. Probability; likelihood. [Obs.]

   There is that which hath no appearance.
   --Bacon.

7. (Law) The coming into court of either of the parties; the being present in court; the coming into court of a party summoned in an action, either by himself or by his attorney, expressed by a formal entry by the proper officer to that effect; the act or proceeding by which a party proceeded against places himself before the court, and submits to its jurisdiction.
   --Burrill.
   --Bouvier.
   --Daniell.

   To put in an appearance, to be present; to appear in person.

   To save appearances, to preserve a fair outward show.

   Syn: Coming; arrival; presence; semblance; pretense; air; look; manner; mien; figure; aspect.