Dictionary

save someone's bacon en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From an archaic sense of bacon, as a slang term referring to the human body.

Meanings

1. Synonym of save someone's life (in all senses).
   • [A]n anxious eye had been kept on the pinnace and the vessel she was chasing. "She's up to her," cried Desmond, who was looking through his glass; "she struck without a blow, and there go our fellows tumbling on board. Little doubt, however, about her being a slaver, though, as they must have seen the way in which we got hold of this craft, they thought it as well to save their bacon, and make the best of a bad job." 1876, W.H.G. Kingston, The Three Commanders:
   • [T]he tide being fortunately in our favour, we reached the Saint Vincent in good time, going up the accommodation ladder on the port side, which, as you know, is devoted to the use of the lower deck portion of the crew, just as Eight Bells struck. "Ha, my lads," cried the Jaunty, who stood by the entry-port, "you've just saved your bacon!" 1896, J.C. Hutcheson, Young Tom Bowling:
   • King Charles went to Washington to save Britain’s bacon. Through his example and unassuming advice, he showed the US how to save itself. 2026 May 2, Simon Tisdall, “The king went to Washington to save Britain’s bacon. He may also have shown the US how to save itself”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • What Steve Ballmer needs to do to save Microsoft’s mobile bacon [title] 2010 May 27, Galen Gruman, “What Steve Ballmer needs to do to save Microsoft's mobile bacon”, in Infoworld:

Forms

Relateds

pull someone's bacon out of the fire

Synonyms

save someone's life