(~s, preserving, ~d)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
If you ~ a situation or condition, you make sure that it remains as it is, and does not change or end.
We will do everything to ~ 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 ~ something, you take action to save it or protect it from damage or decay.
We need to ~ the forest...
...perfectly ~d medieval houses.
VERB: V n, V-ed
preservation
...the preservation of buildings of architectural or historic interest.
N-UNCOUNT
3.
If you ~ 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 ~ the plums.
...~d 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 ~ 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 ~ of the president...
N-COUNT: usu N of n
6.
A nature ~ is an area of land or water where animals are protected from hunters. (AM)
...Pantanal, one of the world’s great wildlife ~s.
= reserve
N-COUNT: usu supp N