Male lion with cub on a preserve in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
- 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.
An example of a preserve is a wild animal preserve.
- To preserve is to protect or keep something as it is or in its original state.
- 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.
preserve
transitive verb
-·served′, -·serv′ing- 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 of preserve
Middle English preserven from Middle French preserver from Medieval Latin praeservare, to preserve, protect from LL, to observe beforehand from Classical Latin prae-, pre- + servare: see observe- to preserve fruit, etc.
- to maintain a game preserve
- [usually pl.] 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
preserve
verb
pre·served, pre·serv·ing, pre·servesverb
transitive- To keep from injury, peril, or harm; protect. See Synonyms at defend.
- To keep in perfect or unaltered condition; maintain unchanged: fossils preserved in sediments; a film preserved in the archives.
- To keep or maintain intact: tried to preserve family harmony.
- To prepare (food) for storage or future use, as by canning or salting.
- To prevent (organic bodies) from decaying or spoiling: preserved the specimen in a chemical solution.
- a. To protect (wildlife or natural resources) in a designated area, often for regulated hunting or fishing.b. To maintain (an area) for the protection of wildlife or natural resources.
verb
intransitive- To treat fruit or other foods so as to prevent decay.
- To maintain an area for the protection of wildlife or natural resources.
noun
- Something that acts to preserve; a preservative.
- often preserves Fruit cooked with sugar to protect against decay or fermentation.
- 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 of preserve
Middle English preserven from Old French preserver from Medieval Latin praeservāre from Late Latin to observe beforehand Latin prae- pre- Latin servāre to guard, preserve ; see ser-1 in Indo-European roots.Related Forms:
- pre·serv′a·bil′i·ty
noun
- pre·serv′a·ble
adjective
- pres′er·va′tion
noun
- pre·serv′er
noun
preserve
Noun
(countable and uncountable, plural preserves)
- A sweet spread made of any of a variety of berries.
- A reservation, a nature preserve.
- An activity with restricted access.
Usage notes
More often used in the plural, as strawberry preserves, but the form without the -s can also be used as the plural form, or to refer to a single type.
Verb
(third-person singular simple present preserves, present participle preserving, simple past and past participle preserved)
