save
Preserved but no longer current.
To give part of one bet for part of another. A. and B. have backed different horses, and they agree that in the event of either one winning he shall give the other, say, £5. This is called "SAVING a fiver," and generally is done when scratchings and knockings-out have left the field so that one of the two speculators must be a winner.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “save” mean?
To give part of one bet for part of another. A. and B. have backed different horses, and they agree that in the event of either one winning he shall give the other, say, £5. This is called "SAVING a fiver," and generally is done when scratchings and knockings-out have left the field so that one of the two speculators must be a winner.
Is “save” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.