I. pre ‧ serve 1 W3 /prɪˈzɜːv $ -ɜːrv/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: préserver , from Late Latin praeservare , from Latin servare 'to keep, guard, watch' ]
1 . to save something or someone from being harmed or destroyed ⇨ preservation :
We must encourage the planting of new trees and preserve our existing woodlands.
2 . to make something continue without changing:
the responsibility of the police to preserve the peace
Norma tried to preserve a normal family life in difficult circumstances.
3 . to store food for a long time after treating it so that it will not decay:
black olives preserved in brine
—preservable adjective
—preserver noun [countable]
⇨ ↑ well-preserved
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ protect to keep someone or something safe from harm, damage, or illness:
Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.
|
The government wants to protect the environment.
|
Eating healthily helps to protect against many diseases.
▪ give/offer/provide protection to protect someone from something harmful:
Wearing a hat offers some protection from the sun.
|
The drug can give protection against cancer.
|
The law provides no protection.
▪ guard to protect a person, place, or object by staying near them and watching them:
Police officers guarded the entrance to the building.
|
He is guarded by armed men.
▪ save to protect someone or something when they are in danger of being harmed or destroyed:
Local people are fighting to save the theatre from demolition.
|
Emergency aid could save millions of people who are threatened with starvation.
▪ preserve to keep something, especially buildings or the environment, from being harmed, destroyed, or changed too much:
The organization works to preserve forests.
|
There is little money for preserving historic buildings.
▪ safeguard to protect something important, such as people’s rights, interests, jobs, health etc:
The deal will safeguard 200 jobs at the factory.
|
Laws should do more to safeguard the rights of victims.
▪ shield to put something in front of something else to protect it. Also used to talk about protecting people from unpleasant situations:
He lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the light.
|
They thought the public should be shielded from the truth.
▪ shelter to provide a place where someone or something is protected from the weather or from danger:
The village is sheltered by a belt of trees.
|
His family had sheltered Jews during the war.
▪ harbour British English , harbor American English to help and protect someone who has done something illegal, and prevent the police from finding them:
He is accused of harbouring suspected terrorists.
II. preserve 2 BrE AmE noun
1 . [countable usually plural] a substance made from boiling fruit or vegetables with sugar, salt, or ↑ vinegar :
homemade fruit preserves
2 . [singular] an activity that is only suitable or allowed for a particular group of people:
Banking used to be a male preserve.
preserve of
The civil service became the preserve of the educated middle class.
3 . [countable] an area of land or water that is kept for private hunting or fishing