preserve in WordNet English dictionary

1. keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
   "preserve the peace in the family"; "continue the family tradition"; "Carry on the old traditions"
   continue  uphold  carry on  bear on  preserve 
   
2. keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction
   "We preserve these archeological findings"; "The old lady could not keep up the building"; "children must be taught to conserve our national heritage"; "The museum curator conserved the ancient manuscripts"
   conserve  preserve  maintain  keep up 
   
3. prevent (food) from rotting
   "preserved meats"; "keep potatoes fresh"
   preserve  keep 
   
4. maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger
   "May God keep you"
   keep  preserve 
   
5. to keep up and reserve for personal or special use
   "She saved the old family photographs in a drawer"
   save  preserve 
   
6. keep undisturbed for personal or private use for hunting, shooting, or fishing
   "preserve the forest and the lakes"
   preserve 
   

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