SAVING GRACE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does saving grace mean? 

• SAVING GRACE (noun)
  The noun SAVING GRACE has 2 senses:

1. (Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence

2. a redeeming quality or characteristic

  Familiarity information: SAVING GRACE used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SAVING GRACE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

grace; saving grace; state of grace

Context example:

the Virgin lived in a state of grace

Hypernyms ("saving grace" is a kind of...):

state (the way something is with respect to its main attributes)

Domain category:

Christian theology (the teachings of Christian churches)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A redeeming quality or characteristic

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

the saving grace for both developments is that they are creating jobs

Hypernyms ("saving grace" is a kind of...):

characteristic (a distinguishing quality)

 Context examples 

‘It is rather an absurd business, this ritual of ours,’ he answered. ‘But it has at least the saving grace of antiquity to excuse it.’

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)