to keep a particular quality, feature, etc.; to make sure that something is kept
He was anxious to preserve his reputation.
Efforts to preserve the peace have failed.
She managed to preserve her sense of humour under very trying circumstances.
He was insistent on preserving the integrity of the brand.
to keep something in its original state in good condition
preserve something/somebody a perfectly preserved 14th century house
(humorous) Is he really 60? He's remarkably well preserved.
We need knowledgeable gallery curators to preserve great masterpieces for posterity.
preserve something + adj. This vase has been preserved intact.
to prevent something, especially food, from decaying (= being destroyed by natural processes) by treating it in a particular way
preserve something Wax polish preserves wood and leather.
preserved lemons
preserve something in something olives preserved in brine
preserve something from something an attempt to preserve the corpse from decomposition
to keep somebody/something alive, or safe from harm or danger
The society was set up to preserve endangered species from extinction.
an activity, a job, an interest, etc. that is thought to be suitable for one particular person or group of people
Football is no longer the preserve of men.
I began my career in the days when nursing was a female preserve.
Higher education is no longer the preserve of the wealthy.
a type of jam made by boiling fruit with a large amount of sugar
a type of pickle made by cooking vegetables with salt or vinegar
a piece of land that is a protected area for animals, plants, etc.
an area of private land or water where animals and fish are kept for people to hunt
This land is protected as a wildlife preserve.
