Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: reserver, from Latin reservare 'to keep back', from servare 'to keep'

reserve

1 verb
     
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re‧serve1 W3 [transitive]
1D to arrange for a place in a hotel, restaurant, plane etc to be kept for you to use at a particular time in the future [↪ book]
reserve something for somebody/something
I'd like to reserve a table for two.
Do you have to reserve tickets in advance?
2 to keep something so that it can be used by a particular person or for a particular purpose [= set aside]
reserve something for somebody/something
A separate room is reserved for smokers.
reserved parking spaces
3 especially written to keep part of something for use at a later time during a process - used especially when describing how to cook something [= keep, save]:
Reserve a little of the mixture to sprinkle over the top of the pie.
4 to use or show something only in one particular situation
reserve something for somebody/something
She spoke in a tone of voice she usually reserved for dealing with officials.
5

reserve the right to do something

formal if you reserve the right to do something, you will do it if you think it is necessary - used especially in notices or official documents:
The management reserves the right to refuse admission.
6

reserve (your) judgment (on something)

spoken to not give your opinion about something until a later time when you have more information
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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