save someone's skin
The idiom "save someone's skin" is often used in informal contexts to describe rescuing someone from harm or trouble.
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Definition
B2General
(informal, idiomatic)To rescue someone from a dangerous or difficult situation.
Example
- She managed to save his skin by warning him about the impending audit.
- The lawyer's quick thinking saved his client's skin during the trial.
B2General
(informal, idiomatic)To protect someone from harm, trouble, or punishment.
Example
- Thanks for covering for me; you really saved my skin.
- He lied to save his own skin from getting into trouble.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "save someone's skin":
to save one's lifepull someone's chestnuts out of the firekeep the wolf from the doorfight for one's life