preserves

pre·serve  (pr-zûrv)

v. pre·served, pre·serv·ing, pre·serves

v.tr.

1. To maintain in safety from injury, peril, or harm; protect.

2. To keep in perfect or unaltered condition; maintain unchanged.

3. To keep or maintain intact: tried to preserve family harmony. See Synonyms at defend.

4. To prepare (food) for future use, as by canning or salting.

5. To prevent (organic bodies) from decaying or spoiling.

6. To keep or protect (game or fish) for one's private hunting or fishing.

v.intr.

1. To treat fruit or other foods so as to prevent decay.

2. To maintain a private area stocked with game or fish.

n.

1. Something that acts to preserve; a preservative.

2. Fruit cooked with sugar to protect against decay or fermentation. Often used in the plural.

3. An area maintained for the protection of wildlife or natural resources.

4. Something considered as being the exclusive province of certain persons: Ancient Greek is the preserve of scholars.

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[Middle English preserven, from Old French preserver, from Medieval Latin praeservre, from Late Latin, to observe beforehand : Latin prae-, pre- + Latin servre, to guard, preserve; see ser-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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pre·serva·bili·ty n.

pre·serva·ble adj.

preser·vation (przr-vshn) n.

pre·server n.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

preserves - fruit preserved by cooking with sugar conserve, conserves, preserve confiture - preserved or candied fruit apple butter - thick dark spicy puree of apples chowchow - a Chinese preserve of mixed fruits and ginger jam - preserve of crushed fruit lemon cheese, lemon curd - a conserve with a thick consistency; made with lemons and butter and eggs and sugar jelly - a preserve made of the jelled juice of fruit marmalade - a preserve made of the pulp and rind of citrus fruits