salvage

[ sal-vij ]

noun

1. 1. the act of saving a ship or its cargo from perils of the seas.
   2. the property so saved.
   3. compensation given to those who voluntarily save a ship or its cargo.
2. 1. the act of saving anything from fire, danger, etc.
   2. the property so saved.
3. the value or proceeds upon sale of goods recovered from a shipwreck, fire, etc.
4. the act of saving something of use or value from destruction, damage, ruin, loss, or waste:

   The salvage of carcass parts for pharmaceutical or research use is permitted if it does not interfere with sanitary operations.

verb (used with object)

, sal·vaged, sal·vag·ing.

1. to save or rescue (property) from shipwreck, fire, or other peril.

   Synonyms: recover, retrieve

2. to save from destruction, damage, ruin, or loss:

   A new achievement was the only way to salvage his reputation.

3. to preserve (a useful or valuable part) from something otherwise wasted, discarded, or deemed a failure: I tried to salvage the unburnt part of the cornbread.

   We purchase end-of-life vehicles and salvage scrap metal.

   I tried to salvage the unburnt part of the cornbread.

   The team has a chance to salvage some degree of glory from a dismal season.

salvage

/ ˈsælvɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act, process, or business of rescuing vessels or their cargoes from loss at sea
2. 1. the act of saving any goods or property in danger of damage or destruction
   2. ( as modifier )

      a salvage operation

3. the goods or property so saved
4. compensation paid for the salvage of a vessel or its cargo
5. the proceeds from the sale of salvaged goods or property

verb

1. to save or rescue (goods or property) from fire, shipwreck, etc
2. to gain (something beneficial) from a failure

   she salvaged little from the broken marriage

Derived Forms

• ˈsalvageable, adjective
• ˈsalvager, noun

Other Words From

• sal·vage·a·ble adjective
• sal·vag·er noun
• un·sal·vaged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of salvage¹

First recorded in 1635–45; from Old French; save ¹, -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of salvage¹

C17: from Old French, from Medieval Latin salvāgium, from salvāre to save ¹

Example Sentences

Dame Andrea, who lost her seat in the July general election, said she had "fought to the bitter end" but the Conservative Party was now "beyond salvage".

From BBC

On the dining room table, he had organized the remains of everything he found: plates, teapots, pans, cups and lamps, some of which he hoped to salvage.

From New York Times

Now it was up to the best punter in college football to salvage the situation, like he had so often during USC’s season.

From Los Angeles Times

To protect coral reefs from rising temperatures and other human activity, it is critical for local communities to work together with global authorities so they can salvage what they can.

From Salon

Carvalho recently told The Times that he was optimistic about salvaging the technology for later use.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• reclaim
• recover
• redeem
• regain
• restore
• retrieve