reserve

American  

[ri-zurv] / rɪˈzɜrv /

verb (used with object)

• reserves,
  present (3rd person singular)
• reserved,
  past participle,  past
• reserving
  present participle

1. to keep back or save for future use, disposal, treatment, etc.

   Synonyms:

   store, hold, husband

   Antonyms:

   squander

2. to retain or secure by express stipulation.

3. to set apart for a particular use, purpose, service, etc..

   ground reserved for gardening.

4. to keep for oneself.

5. to retain (the original color) of a surface, as on a painted ceramic piece.

6. to save or set aside (a portion of the Eucharistic elements) to be administered, as to the sick, outside of the Mass or communion service.

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noun

• reserves
  plural

1. Finance.

   1. cash, or assets readily convertible into cash, held aside, as by a corporation, bank, state or national government, etc., to meet expected or unexpected demands.

   2. uninvested cash held to comply with legal requirements.

2. something kept or stored for use or need; stock.

   a reserve of food.

   Synonyms:

   supply

3. a resource not normally called upon but available if needed.

4. a tract of public land set apart for a special purpose.

   a forest reserve.

5. an act of reserving; reservation, exception, or qualification.

   I will do what you ask, but with one reserve.

6. Military.

   1. a fraction of a military force held in readiness to sustain the attack or defense made by the rest of the force.

   2. the part of a country's fighting force not in active service.

   3. reserves, the enrolled but not regular components of the U.S. Army.

7. formality and self-restraint in manner and relationship; avoidance of familiarity or intimacy with others.

   to conduct oneself with reserve.

   Antonyms:

   warmth

8. reticence or silence.

   Synonyms:

   coldness, constraint, taciturnity

   Antonyms:

   warmth

adjective

1. kept in reserve; forming a reserve.

   a reserve fund; a reserve supply.

2. of or relating to the animal awarded second place in livestock shows.

   the reserve champion steer.

idioms

1. without reserve,

   1. without restraint; frankly; freely.

   2. (of articles at auction) without limitation as to the terms of sale, especially with no stipulated minimum price.

2. in reserve, put aside or withheld for a future need; reserved.

   money in reserve.

reserve British  

/ rɪˈzɜːv /

verb

1. to keep back or set aside, esp for future use or contingency; withhold

2. to keep for oneself; retain

   I reserve the right to question these men later

3. to obtain or secure by advance arrangement

   I have reserved two tickets for tonight's show

4. to delay delivery of (a judgment), esp in order to allow time for full consideration of the issues involved

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noun

1. 1. something kept back or set aside, esp for future use or contingency

   2. ( as modifier )

      a reserve stock

2. the state or condition of being reserved

   I have plenty in reserve

3. a tract of land set aside for the protection and conservation of wild animals, flowers, etc

   a nature reserve

4. Also called: reservation. an area of land set aside, esp (in the US and Canada) for American or Canadian Indian peoples

5. an area of publicly owned land set aside for sport, recreation, etc

6. the act of reserving; reservation

7. a member of a team who only plays if a playing member drops out; a substitute

8. (often plural)

   1. a part of an army or formation not committed to immediate action in a military engagement

   2. that part of a nation's armed services not in active service

9. coolness or formality of manner; restraint, silence, or reticence

10. finance

    1. a portion of capital not invested (a capital reserve ) or a portion of profits not distributed (a revenue or general reserve ) by a bank or business enterprise and held to meet legal requirements, future liabilities, or contingencies

    2. (often plural) liquid assets held by an organization, government, etc, to meet expenses and liabilities

11. without reservations; fully; wholeheartedly

Synonym Usage

See keep.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonreserve
  noun
• reserver
  noun
• nonreservable
  adjective
• reservable
  adjective
• reserveless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• reserves
  plural

Participles

• reserving
  present
• reserved
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• reserve
  simple
• reserves
  simple
• have reserved
  perfect
• has reserved
  perfect
• am reserving
  progressive
• are reserving
  progressive
• is reserving
  progressive
• have been reserving
  perfect progressive
• has been reserving
  perfect progressive

Past

• reserved
  simple
• had reserved
  perfect
• was reserving
  progressive
• were reserving
  progressive
• had been reserving
  perfect progressive

Future

• will reserve
  simple
• will have reserved
  perfect
• will be reserving
  progressive
• will have been reserving
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of reserve

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English reserven (verb) from Middle French reserver, from Latin reservāre “to keep back, retain,” equivalent to re- re- + servāre “to save”

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Explanation

As a noun, reserve refers to the quality of a shy or modest person who doesn’t easily express his or her feelings. As a verb, to reserve is to stash something away or to set it aside for future use. Reserve can also refer to backup supplies or resources. If a military is running out of ammunition or food, they may have to dig into the reserve to replenish their supplies. Reserve is also used as a verb to mean "obtain in advance." If you’re expecting a big crowd at your sister's dance recital, you might show up early to reserve seats for your family members. You could also reserve a table at a restaurant for dinner after the show.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reserve reserves reserved reserving

They made no mention of Bottas' future in the announcement, and are said by insiders to be considering whether to promote their American reserve driver Colton Herta into F1.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Star receiver Davante Adams is on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out several more weeks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

“And I said, ‘OK, we’re going to get an ambulance,’” which required first getting permission for an ambulance to enter the Native American reserve where the bus was stopped, Van Gorp explained.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

“The heating-oil reserve is the fire insurance you have on your house,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

Now, with Wotton’s formulation of a tacit reserve, moral certainty was required to give way to a new sort of temporary knowledge, a purely provisional understanding.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

China is starting to raise imports and the global release of emergency oil reserves are almost done, said McNally.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

For years, the industry failed to fully replace the oil reserves it pumped into the global market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Guyana - formerly British Guiana - is the world's fastest growing economy due to the discovery of oil reserves there in 2015.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Tanzania has existing natural gas reserves of 57.54 trillion cubic feet.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

He summoned his reserves of persuasion, his broad and repressed tenderness, ready to give up for Amaranta a glory that had cost him the sacrifice of his best years.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The group will undertake a new capital increase reserved for employees, "who will benefit from a 20 percent discount on the share price".

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

The Justice Department sought to address the 9th Circuit ruling through a revised delegation of authority expressly excluding certain powers reserved for a U.S. attorney.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

The exhibition depicts Patel alongside three other small business owners who have been immortalised in a manner historically reserved for royalty, titans of industry and stars of stage and screen.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026

In some countries where walk-in customers are historically welcome on iPhone launch days, including Japan and South Korea, the company said it would only have phones reserved for customers that snagged online stock early.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

Though reserved to the point of being shy, the sheriff was adept at assuming undercover identities, having pretended to be everything from a cow rustler to a counterfeiter.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Anyone wishing to take part in the free online conversation can do so by reserving a space on the event's booking website, external.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Just a few thousand cars are expected to be sold each year, with initial deliveries likely going to the people who began reserving their spot in line close to nine years ago.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026

Gilroy added that, so far, four clubs have put in protective claims "reserving the right to claim compensation if City are found guilty".

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

She tries to have these conversations in-person or on a video call, reserving texting as a last resort.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

At the end of Neville’s interview, Harry had the impression that Slughorn was reserving judgment on Neville, yet to see whether he had any of his parents’ flair.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

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Related Words

• defer
• hoard
• maintain
• preserve
• retain
• save
• set aside
• stockpile
• withhold

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