v. 1 keep safe, protect, guard, take care of, care for, safeguard, watch over, shield, shelter, defend, spare What can we do to preserve ourselves from this terrible pestilence? May God preserve me, I never expected to see you again! 2 keep (up), maintain, conserve, spare, perpetuate; continue, support, sustain, save We developed a technique to preserve antique furniture The sea preserves much of the heat it absorbs in the summer. It is difficult to preserve one's sanity in this madhouse. 3 conserve, put up, pickle, cure, smoke, kipper, salt, corn, marinate, can, freeze, freeze-dry, refrigerate, dry, dehydrate, vacuum-pack; embalm, mummify The berries were preserved by bottling and freezing Some of the remains were preserved for hundreds of years.
n. 4 Often, preserves. conserve(s), jam, jelly, confiture, marmalade Susan likes thick toast with butter and preserves for tea 5 (game) reserve, reservation, sanctuary, Brit park No hunting is allowed in this preserve