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preserve

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To preserve is to protect or keep something as it is or in its original state.

(verb)

An example of preserve is when you try to save the forest or preserve the forest in its original state.
An example of preserve is when you try to fix up an old house without changing any of the character.

The definition of a preserve is a place where animals are cared for in order to lengthen their lives, or a fruit preserved in large chunks.

(noun)

An example of a preserve is a wild animal preserve.

See preserve in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb preserved, preserving

to keep from harm, damage, danger, evil, etc.; protect; save
to keep from spoiling or rotting
to prepare (food), as by canning, pickling, salting, etc., for future use
to keep up; carry on; maintain
to maintain and protect (game, fish, etc.) in an area, esp. for regulated hunting or fishing

Origin: ME preserven < MFr preserver < ML praeservare, to preserve, protect < LL, to observe beforehand < L prae-, pre- + servare: see observe

intransitive verb

to preserve fruit, etc.
to maintain a game preserve

noun

fruit preserved whole or in large pieces by cooking with sugar
a place where game, fish, etc. are preserved
any place or activity treated as the special domain of some person or group
something that preserves or is preserved

Related Forms:

preservable adjective
preserver noun

See preserve in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb pre·served, pre·serv·ing, pre·serves

verb, transitive

To maintain in safety from injury, peril, or harm; protect.
To keep in perfect or unaltered condition; maintain unchanged.
To keep or maintain intact: tried to preserve family harmony. See Synonyms at defend.
To prepare (food) for future use, as by canning or salting.
To prevent (organic bodies) from decaying or spoiling.
To keep or protect (game or fish) for one's private hunting or fishing.

verb, intransitive

To treat fruit or other foods so as to prevent decay.
To maintain a private area stocked with game or fish.

noun

Something that acts to preserve; a preservative.
Fruit cooked with sugar to protect against decay or fermentation. Often used in the plural.
An area maintained for the protection of wildlife or natural resources.
Something considered as being the exclusive province of certain persons: Ancient Greek is the preserve of scholars.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English preserven

Origin: , from Old French preserver

Origin: , from Medieval Latin praeservāre

Origin: , from Late Latin, to observe beforehand

Origin: : Latin prae-, pre-

Origin: + Latin servāre, to guard, preserve; see ser-¹ in Indo-European roots

Related Forms: