conserves
conserves — verb
- conservespresent simple I / you / we / they
- conserveses3rd person singular
- conservesing-ing form
- conservesedpast simple
1. To use something carefully so that it is not wasted, lost, or damaged — especial
To use something carefully so that it is not wasted, lost, or damaged — especially things like water, energy, wood, or historic buildings that people do not want to run out of or see ruined.
The city council asked everyone to conserve water by taking shorter showers during the drought.
collocation: conserve water / energy / resources
Lara turns off her computer at night to conserve electricity and save money.
Without a protective coating, the old wooden carvings could not be conserved for future visitors.
Ishaan tries to conserve paper by printing on both sides of every sheet.
- preserve
can also mean 'keep in original condition' (e.g. preserve a historic building); 'conserve' adds the idea of careful use over time
- save
more everyday and general; 'save water' and 'conserve water' overlap, but 'save' is broader (save time, save money) where 'conserve' would not be used
- protect
focuses on keeping something safe from harm; 'conserve' is more about preventing depletion through wise use
文法句型
conserve + noun phrase
用法筆記
The object of this sense is typically a natural resource (water, energy, fuel), a cultural asset (buildings, artefacts), or a commodity (paper, food). It implies deliberate, careful management rather than simply not using something at all.
常見錯誤
conserves — noun
- conservessingular
- conservesesplural
1. A sweet food made by cooking whole or large pieces of fruit with sugar, so that
A sweet food made by cooking whole or large pieces of fruit with sugar, so that the fruit keeps its shape — similar to jam but with chunkier texture.
My grandmother makes her own apricot conserves every summer with fruit from the garden.
usually plural: apricot conserves / strawberry conserves
This jar of strawberry conserve contains large pieces of fruit rather than crushed pulp.
Shirin spread some orange conserve over her toast instead of butter.
The farmers' market sells a range of conserves made from local seasonal fruits.
- jam
made from crushed or chopped fruit, much smoother in texture than conserve
- preserve
very similar to conserve; 'preserve' can refer to any fruit cooked with sugar for long-term storage, while 'conserve' specifically keeps fruit whole
- marmalade
a preserve made from citrus fruit, usually containing peel
文法句型
[plural] conserves
[uncountable] conserve
用法筆記
Unlike regular jam (which is made from crushed or chopped fruit), conserves keep the fruit in whole or noticeably large pieces. The word can be used as an uncountable noun ('some conserve') or in the plural ('these conserves') to refer to different varieties.