verb/so.ve le mœbl/
to salvage what can be salvaged, to save as much as possible, to do damage control, to cut one's losses, to minimize one's losses
“"Un vote par dépit, sans grande conviction politique, mais pour essayer de sauver les meubles", confie-t-il.”
Synonyms: limiter les dégâts, arrêter les frais
Literally, “to save the furniture”. Cognate with Spanish salvar los muebles; compare also English save the furniture.