Save face

To “save face” means to avoid embarrassment or retain respect. “Face” in this context refers to a person’s reputation. Britney Spears’ father was the subject of very negative publicity when the pop star first sought to remove her father from the conservatorship. To “save face,” or to avoid embarrassment, he proposed dissolving it altogether. There’s no way for the employee to “save face” now that the entire company knows that they embezzled money. Other cultures and languages use a version of the “saving face;” I know there’s a term for saving face in Chinese.