I. con ‧ serve 1 /kənˈsɜːv $ -ɜːrv/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: conserver , from Latin conservare , from com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + servare 'to keep, guard' ]
1 . to protect something and prevent it from changing or being damaged SYN preserve ⇨ conservation :
We must conserve our woodlands for future generations.
efforts to conserve fish stocks
2 . to use as little water, energy etc as possible so that it is not wasted ⇨ conservation :
the need to conserve energy
II. con ‧ serve 2 /ˈkɒnsɜːv $ ˈkɑːnsɜːrv/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable] formal
fruit that is preserved by being cooked with sugar SYN jam :
strawberry conserve