preserve

noun

1. 1

   A sweet spread made of any of a variety of fruits.

2. 2

   A reservation, a nature preserve.

   Suppose Shakespeare had been knocked on the head some dark night in Sir Thomas Lucy's preserves, the world would have wagged on better or worse, the pitcher gone to the well, the scythe to the corn, and the student to his book; and no one been any the wiser of the loss.

3. 3

   An exclusive area of activity.

   Kids regard their tree houses as their own preserve.

   No one can argue with that—neither the Army Commander nor Zhilinsky nor even the Grand Duke. That is the Emperor’s preserve. The Emperor says France must be saved. We can only do his bidding.

   The ability to shift profits to low-tax countries by locating intellectual property in them, which is then licensed to related businesses in high-tax countries, is often assumed to be the preserve of high-tech companies.

verb

1. 1

   To protect; to keep from harm or injury.

   Let's pray that we'd be preserved from danger.

   Every people has the right to preserve its identity and culture.

   O, the Lord preserve thy good Grace! By my troth, welcome to London. […]

2. 2

   To save from decay by the use of some preservative substance, such as sugar or salt; to season and prepare (fruits, meat, etc.) for storage.

   to preserve peaches or grapes

3. 3

   To maintain throughout; to keep intact.

   to preserve appearances; to preserve silence

   I preserved a composed manner throughout the interrogation.

   Better men than you, men who could believe and obey, twisted the entrails of iron and preserved the legend of fire.

   O, that this good blossom could be kept from cankers! Well, there is sixpence to preserve thee.

Forms

plural

preserves

past tense

preserved

past participle

preserved

present participle

preserving

third person singular

preserves