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1. Keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
   "preserve the peace in the family";
   - continue, uphold, carry on, bear on
    
2. Keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction
   "We preserve these archeological findings";
   - conserve, maintain, keep up
    
3. To keep up and reserve for personal or special use
   "She preserved the old family photographs in a drawer";
   - save
    
4. Prevent (food) from rotting
   "preserved meats";
   - keep
    
5. Maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger
   "May God preserve you";
   - keep
    
6. Keep undisturbed for personal or private use for hunting, shooting, or fishing
   "preserve the forest and the lakes"

1. A domain that seems to be specially reserved for someone
   "medicine is no longer a male preserve"
    
2. A reservation where animals are protected
    
3. Fruit preserved by cooking with sugar
   - conserve, conserves, preserves

Derived forms: preserves, preserved, preserving

Type of: area, arena, confiture, cook, domain, field, fix [informal], hold, hold on, keep, maintain, make, orbit, prepare, protect, ready, reservation, reserve, sphere

Antonym: lay off

Encyclopedia: Preserve