preserve
Use Preserve in a sentence
verb (used with object)
1.
to keep alive or in existence; make lasting: to preserve our liberties as free citizens.
2.
to keep safe from harm or injury; protect or spare.
3.
to keep up; maintain: to preserve historical monuments.
4.
to keep possession of; retain: to preserve one's composure.
5.
to prepare (food or any perishable substance) so as to resist decomposition or fermentation.
verb (used without object)
8.
to preserve fruit, vegetables, etc.; make preserves.
9.
to maintain a preserve for game or fish, especially for sport.
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Preserve
is one of our favorite verbs.
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| to run away hurriedly; flee. |
| chat, to converse |
Origin:
1325–75; Middle English preserven < Medieval Latin praeservāre to guard (Late Latin: to observe), equivalent to Latin prae- pre- + servāre to watch over, keep, preserve, observe
1325–75; Middle English preserven < Medieval Latin praeservāre to guard (Late Latin: to observe), equivalent to Latin prae- pre- + servāre to watch over, keep, preserve, observe
Related forms
pre·serv·a·ble, adjective
pre·serv·a·bil·i·ty, noun
ərˈveɪ pre·serv·er, noun
non·pre·serv·a·ble, adjective
non·pres·er·va·tion, noun
sem·i·pre·served, adjective
un·pre·serv·a·ble, adjective
un·pre·served, adjective
Antonyms
1. destroy.
1. destroy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To preserve
Collins
World English Dictionary
preserve (prɪˈzɜːv) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to keep safe from danger or harm; protect |
| 2. | to protect from decay or dissolution; maintain: to preserve old buildings |
| 3. | to maintain possession of; keep up: to preserve a façade of indifference |
| 4. | to prevent from decomposition or chemical change |
| 5. | to prepare (food), as by freezing, drying, or salting, so that it will resist decomposition |
| 6. | to make preserves of (fruit, etc) |
| 7. | to rear and protect (game) in restricted places for hunting or fishing |
| 8. | (intr) to maintain protection and favourable conditions for game in preserves |
| —n | |
| 9. | something that preserves or is preserved |
| 10. | a special area or domain: archaeology is the preserve of specialists |
| 11. | (usually plural) fruit, etc, prepared by cooking with sugar |
| 12. | areas where game is reared for private hunting or fishing |
| [C14: via Old French, from Late Latin praeservāre literally: to keep safe in advance, from Latin prae- before + servāre to keep safe] | |
| pre'servable | |
| —adj | |
| preserva'bility | |
| —n | |
| pre'servably | |
| —adv | |
| preservation | |
| —n | |
| pre'server | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
preserve
late 14c., from O.Fr. preserver, from M.L. preservare "keep, preserve," from L.L. præservare "guard beforehand," from L. præ- "before" + servare "to keep safe" (see observe). The noun sense of "fruit preserved with sugar" is from c.1600; that of "protected place
for animals or plants" (a sense more properly belonging to conserve) is from 1807. Preservationist "advocate of protecting historic property" is recorded from 1927. Preservative (adj.) is attested from late 14c.; the noun sense of "chemical added to foods to keep them from rotting" is from 1875.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Summer's not the only time to pickle and preserve in-season ingredients.
Underwater archaeology has mainly been the preserve of scuba divers.
Rabinowitz has been leading the effort to set up this unique preserve to help ensure the survival of tigers in this remote area.
The comets are cold and ancient enough to preserve detailed records of the formation and early history of the solar system.
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