reserve

¹re·serve

verb \ri-ˈzərv\

re·servedre·serv·ing

Definition of RESERVE

transitive verb

1

a : to hold in reserve : keep back <reserve grain for seed> b : to set aside (part of the consecrated elements) at the Eucharist for future use c : to retain or hold over to a future time or place : defer <reserve one's judgment on a plan> d : to make legal reservation of

2

: to set or have set aside or apart <reserve a hotel room>

— re·serv·able \-ˈzər-və-bəl\ adjective

Examples of RESERVE

1. We reserved a hotel room.
2. This table is reserved for someone else.
3. The seats are reserved under my name.
4. We will reserve this wine for a special occasion.
5. She usually reserved her best dishes for very important dinners.

Origin of RESERVE

Middle English, from Anglo-French reserver, from Latin reservare, literally, to keep back, from re- + servare to keep — more at conserve

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to RESERVE

Synonyms: bespeak, book

Antonyms: give up, hand over, release, relinquish, surrender, yield

Related Words: earmark; contract, engage, hire, retain

Near Antonyms: abandon, cede, drop; contribute, donate, give, hand out; discard, dump; decline, reject, repudiate, spurn; lose

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at keep

Rhymes with RESERVE

bell curve, conserve, deserve, disserve, french curve, hors d'oeuvre, incurve, observe, preserve, recurve, self-serve, sine curve, skew curve, subserve, unnerve