seɪv jɔːr skɪn
Body Parts
informal
beginner
- Literally:
- Preserving your own skin/body
What does "save your skin" mean?
- To protect yourself from danger or trouble
- To escape punishment or harm
Examples
- He lied to save his skin.
- When trouble came, she ran to save her skin.
- They threw him under the bus to save their own skin.
Origin
From the literal value of one's skin for survival. 'Skin' as metonym for personal safety dates to the 1500s.
How to use it
Often implies self-preservation at others' expense. Can have negative connotation.
Similar expressions
protect yourself
save yourself
escape danger
Opposites
sacrifice yourself
take the blame
put yourself at risk
Related idioms
- keep an eye on
To watch or monitor something carefully
- heart of gold
A very kind, generous, and caring nature
- caught red-handed
Caught in the act of doing something wrong
- keep your chin up
To stay positive and not be discouraged
- wrap your head around something
To understand something complex
- all ears
Listening attentively and eagerly
Use it in a practice answer
Try "save your skin" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.