1910 J. de W. G. Addison xiv. 403 Yusen angrily replied by way of a ‘face-saver’, that it [sc. a picture] was intended to represent a stupid boy.
1923 17 Nov. 7/6 To afford an opportunity to the ‘face savers’ to call off the strike.
1959 4 May 3/1 An equalizer in the dying seconds and yet another face-saver in the extra time.
1999 26 Sept. 62/4 The Americans had cooked up a face-saver after agonisingly seeing the Ryder Cup slip from their grasp.