- 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.
transitive verbpreserved, 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 of preserveMiddle English preserven ; from Middle French preserver ; from Medieval Latin praeservare, to preserve, protect ; from Late Latin to observe beforehand ; from Classical Latin prae-, pre- + servare: see observe
- to preserve fruit, etc.
- to maintain a game preserve
- 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
verbpre·served, pre·serv·ing, pre·serves
- 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.
- To treat fruit or other foods so as to prevent decay.
- To maintain an area for the protection of wildlife or natural resources.
- 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 preserveMiddle 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.
(countable and uncountable, plural preserves)
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.
(third-person singular simple present preserves, present participle preserving, simple past and past participle preserved)