reserve

¹re·serve

transitive verb \ri-ˈzərv\

re·servedre·serv·ing

Definition of RESERVE

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 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

²reserve

noun, often attributive

Definition of RESERVE

1

: something reserved or set aside for a particular purpose, use, or reason: as

a (1) : a military force withheld from action for later decisive use —usually used in plural (2) : forces not in the field but available (3) : the military forces of a country not part of the regular services; also : reservist

b : a tract (as of public land) set apart : reservation

2

: something stored or kept available for future use or need : stock

3

: an act of reserving : qualification

4

a : restraint, closeness, or caution in one's words and actions

b : forbearance from making a full explanation, complete disclosure, or free expression of one's mind

5

archaic : secret

6

a : money or its equivalent kept in hand or set apart usually to meet liabilities

b : the liquid resources of a nation for meeting international payments

7

: substitute

8

: reserve price

9

: a wine made from select grapes, bottled on the maker's premises, and aged differently from the maker's other wines of the same vintage

— in reserve

: held back for future or special use

Examples of RESERVE

1. He had to call upon his inner reserves of strength to keep going.
2. <the salesclerk showed great reserve in dealing with the unreasonable demands of the angry customer>

First Known Use of RESERVE

1648

Related to RESERVE

Synonyms

continence, discipline, discretion, inhibition, refrainment, repression, constraint, restraint, self-command, self-control, self-restraint, suppression

Antonyms

disinhibition, incontinence, unconstraint

Related Words

command, control, mastery, possession; self-censorship, self-containment, self-denial, self-discipline, self-government, self-mastery, will, willpower; composure, self-poise, self-possession; aloofness, detachedness, distance; bashfulness, modesty, shyness; reticence, silence, taciturnity

Near Antonyms

self-abandonment, uninhibitedness; unrestrainedness; gratification, indulgence, overindulgence, self-indulgence; bluntness, candor, frankness; immoderacy, intemperance