salvage

noun

/ˈsælvɪdʒ/

[uncountable]

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the act of saving things that have been, or are likely to be, damaged or lost, especially in a disaster or an accident
- the salvage of the wrecked tanker
- a salvage company/operation/team
Topics The environmentc2
the things that are saved from a disaster or an accident
- an exhibition of the salvage from the wreck
Topics The environmentc2

Word Originmid 17th cent. (as a noun denoting payment for saving a ship or its cargo): from French, from medieval Latin salvagium, from Latin salvare ‘to save’. The verb dates from the late 19th cent.

salvage

verb

/ˈsælvɪdʒ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they salvage	/ˈsælvɪdʒ/ /ˈsælvɪdʒ/
he / she / it salvages	/ˈsælvɪdʒɪz/ /ˈsælvɪdʒɪz/
past simple salvaged	/ˈsælvɪdʒd/ /ˈsælvɪdʒd/
past participle salvaged	/ˈsælvɪdʒd/ /ˈsælvɪdʒd/
-ing form salvaging	/ˈsælvɪdʒɪŋ/ /ˈsælvɪdʒɪŋ/

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to save a badly damaged ship, etc. from being lost completely; to save parts or property from a damaged ship or from a fire, etc.
- salvage something The wreck was salvaged by a team from the RAF.
- The house was built using salvaged materials.
- salvage something from something We only managed to salvage two paintings from the fire.
salvage something to manage to rescue something from a difficult situation; to stop a bad situation from being a complete failure
- What can I do to salvage my reputation? (= get a good reputation again)
- He wondered what he could do to salvage the situation.
- United lost 5–2, salvaging a little pride with two late goals.
Extra Examples
- Ministers are now trying to salvage the peace deal.
- Perhaps something can be salvaged from all this mess.
- making a desperate attempt to salvage something from the wreck of their marriage