(preserves, preserving, preserved)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
If you preserve a situation or condition, you make sure that it remains as it is, and does not change or end.
We will do everything to preserve peace.
...an effort to fit in more students while preserving standards.
= maintain
VERB: V n, V n
• preservation
...the preservation of the status quo.
= maintenance
N-UNCOUNT
2.
If you preserve something, you take action to save it or protect it from damage or decay.
We need to preserve the forest...
...perfectly preserved medieval houses.
VERB: V n, V-ed
• preservation
...the preservation of buildings of architectural or historic interest.
N-UNCOUNT
3.
If you preserve food, you treat it in order to prevent it from decaying so that you can store it for a long time.
I like to make puree, using only enough sugar to preserve the plums.
...preserved ginger in syrup.
VERB: V n, V-ed
4.
Preserves are foods such as jam that are made by cooking fruit with a large amount of sugar so that they can be stored for a long time.
N-PLURAL
5.
If you say that a job or activity is the preserve of a particular person or group of people, you mean that they are the only ones who take part in it.
The conduct of foreign policy is largely the preserve of the president...
N-COUNT: usu N of n
6.
A nature preserve is an area of land or water where animals are protected from hunters. (AM)
...Pantanal, one of the world's great wildlife preserves.
= reserve
N-COUNT: usu supp N