The act of reserving or keeping back; reservation; exception.
The book is on reserve.
I accept your view with one reserve.
2
Restraint of freedom in words or actions; backwardness; caution in personal behavior.
3
That which is reserved or kept back, as for future use.
The tone was set at Trump’s Inauguration. Tech moguls streamed into Washington; some sat behind the President during his Inaugural Address, a signal of the power they would wield. Over the next 11 months, they would use their enormous cash reserves, cultural power, and momentum to push their products into homes across the world.2025 December 11, Charlie Campbell, Andrew R. Chow and Billy Perrigo, “The Architects of AI Are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year”, in Time:
4
A natural resource known to exist but not currently exploited.
New oil reserves are continuously being discovered, but not as fast as the existing ones are running out.
If Alberta’s reserves are a carbon bomb, this global expansion of tar sands and oil shale exploitation amounts to an escalating emissions arms race, the unlocking of a subterranean cache of weapons of mass ecological destruction.2014 April 25, Martin Lukacs, “Canada becoming launch-pad of a global tar sands and oil shale frenzy”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 190, number 20, page 13:
5
A tract of land reserved, or set apart, for a particular purpose
the Connecticut Reserve in Ohio was originally set apart for the school fund of Connecticut.
the Clergy Reserves in Canada are for the support of the clergy.
6
Canada A tract of land set apart for the use of an Aboriginal group: Indian reserve.
7
Government, Military, Politics, War A body of troops kept in the rear of an army drawn up for battle, reserved to support the other lines as occasion may require; a force or body of troops kept for an exigency.
no reserves [the military force is throwing everything it has at the front]
8
Business, Finance, Insurance Funds kept on hand to meet planned or unplanned financial requirements.
9
A reserve price in an auction.
no reserve [the lot(s) will be sold no matter how low the bids are]
reserve not met [the lot(s) will not be sold because the highest bid was too low to be acceptable]
10
Wine held back and aged before being sold.
11
Ceramics, Chemistry, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Absence of color or decoration; the state of being left plain.
Each is decorated with a simple disk in reserve and a band in reserve adorned with white dots.1973, Charles Kyrle Wilkinson, Nishapur: Pottery of the Early Islamic Period, New York, N.Y: Metropolitan Museum of Art, page 161:
› Something initially kept back for later use…
12
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A member of a team who does not participate from the start of the game, but can be used to replace tired or injured team-mates.
13
Card games, Games A group or pile of cards dealt out at the beginning of a patience or solitaire game to be used during play.
14
In exhibitions, a distinction indicating that the recipient will get a prize in the event of another person being disqualified.
15
A resist.
Calico printing
16
A preparation used on an object being electroplated to fix the limits of the deposit.
Etymology From Old French reserver, from Latin reservō (“to reserve, retain”).
1
To keep back; to retain.
We reserve the right to make modifications.
I will reserve judgment until I have actually read his book.
1 more example
I reserve the right to change my mind.
2
To keep in store for future or special use.
This cake is reserved for the guests!
Please reserve me a parking space if you can.
1 more example
c. 1703-1720, Jonathan Swift, A Letter to a Very Young Lady on Her Marriage Conceal your esteem and love in your own breast, and reserve your kind looks and language for private hours.
3
To book in advance; to make a reservation for.
I reserved a table for us at the best restaurant in town.