reserve
verb [ T ]
uk/rɪˈzɜːv/ usto keep something for a particular purpose or time:
reserve sth for sb/sth The plan would reserve $1 billion for "long-term capacity improvements".
COMMERCE
to arrange for something to be kept for you, for example, a seat on an aircraft or a table at a restaurant:
He's reserved a table for 8pm.
reserve the right to do sth
to state, especially in a written agreement, that you may change something in the future:
I reserve the right to disagree to any future changes in the company structure.
reserve judgement
to not decide on something immediately:
I thought I'd reserve judgement until he'd finished his presentation.
reserve
noun
uk/rɪˈzɜːv/ us [ C ]
a supply of something that you have available to use if you need to:
You will need a reasonable reserve of cash to start the process.
coal/oil/fuel reserves
in reserve
kept in order to use later if needed:
They do not have money in reserve like many of the bigger companies.
Land should be kept in reserve at the airport for a second runway which could be built by the mid-2020s.
[ C ] COMMERCE (also reserve price)
the lowest amount of money that the owner will accept for something that is being sold, especially at an auction:
I set the reserve price at $50 in the hope that it would sell for much more.
reserves [ plural ]
BANKING, FINANCE
the amount of foreign currency or gold that a central bank has at a particular time:
It has around 8bn dollars in foreign currency reserves.
No country has limitless reserves of gold.
ACCOUNTING
money kept by a company for a particular use, for example, a future project or emergency:
use/dip into reserves It became necessary for the company to dip into its reserves.
cash/money reserves
See also
bank reserves
capitalization of reserves
cash reserves
foreign exchange reserves
hidden reserves
legal reserves
proven reserves