a. and sb. [a. F. conservatif, -ive (= Pr. conservatiu, It. conservativo (Florio), prob. med.L. conservātīvus), f. L. conservāt-, ppl. stem of conservāre to CONSERVE: See -IVE.]
A. adj.
1. Characterized by a tendency to preserve or keep intact or unchanged; preservative.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, II. 339. This place … Ther as Fame list to dwelle Is set amiddes of these three, Heven, erthe, and eek the see, As most conservatif the soun.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg. Called the seame conseruatyfe … for it is nat made but for to mayntayne the lyppes tyll the wounde be closed.
1559. Morwyng, Evonym. The hole of the conservative vessel ought to be covered with a little cover.
1828. Stewart, Planter’s G., 121. The Stem or Trunk of woody plants is classed … among the Conservative Organs.
1833. Lyell, Princ. Geol., III. 27. The effects of vegetation have … only a conservative tendency.
1839–40. W. Irving, Wolfert’s R. (1855), 265. A still higher opinion of the conservative virtues of lock and key.
b. Const. of.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), I. vii. 78. The very medycyne … conseruatyf of strength and of helthe.
1570. Marr. Wit & Sc., I., in Hazl., Dodsley, II. 326. Nurse of the world, conservative of kind.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, II. IV. 14. The Divine Bonitie … is conservative of althings.
1868. Ruskin, Pol. Econ. Art, i. 79. Jealously conservative of old things, but conservative of them as pillars, not as pinnacles—as aids, but not as idols.
c. Psychol. Conservative faculty: the faculty of CONSERVATION (sense 3). d. Physics. (See quots.)
1836–7. Sir W. Hamilton, Metaph., II. xxx. 206. Thus in the term Memory, the Conservative Faculty,—the phænomenon of Retention, is the central notion, with which, however, those of Reproduction and Representation are associated.
1879. Thomson & Tait, Nat. Phil., I. I. § 271. A limited system of bodies is said to be dynamically conservative (or simply conservative), if the mutual forces between its parts always perform, or always consume, the same amount of work during any motion whatever, by which it can pass from one particular configuration to another. Ibid., I. I. § 346. A ‘conservative disturbance of motion’ is a disturbance in the motion or configuration of a conservative system, not altering the sum of the potential and kinetic energies.
2. The most common current designation of one of the two great English political parties, the characteristic principle of which is the maintenance of existing institutions political and ecclesiastical. (With capital C.)
The word was first used in this sense by J. Wilson Croker in an article published on 1 Jan. 1830; and almost immediately largely took the place of the term Tory (originally reproachful), which had been in use for nearly 150 years. (Measures tending to preserve cherished political conditions had before this been sometimes spoken of as conservatory.) Preference for ‘Conservative’ sometimes implied disavowal of the reactionary tendencies that had sometimes been associated with earlier Toryism, and espousal of the new phase introduced by Sir R. Peel; and the name was not at first received with favor by all Tories, any more than it was admitted to be properly descriptive by their political opponents. Hence many early references ridicule the word.
1830. J. W. Croker, in Q. Rev., Jan., 276. Attached to what is called the Tory, and which might with more propriety be called the Conservative, party.
1832. Blackw. Mag., Jan., 115/2. The fortresses of the Conservative Party in the nomination boroughs are to be entirely destroyed!
1835. Greville, Mem. Geo. IV., 14 June. Peel clearly does not intend that there shall be a Tory party, though of course there must be a Conservative party, the great force of which is the old Tory interest.
1844. Disraeli, Coningsby, II. vi. ‘A sound Conservative Government,’ said Taper, musingly. ‘I understand: Tory men and Whig measures.’ Ibid. (1845), Speech, 17 March. For me there remains this at least—the opportunity of expressing thus publicly my belief that a Conservative Government is an Organized Hypocrisy. Ibid. (1872), Sp. at Manchester, 3 April. Gentlemen, the programme of the Conservative party is to maintain the Constitution of the country.
1874. Green, Short Hist., Epil. 816. The Conservative Government encountered unexpected difficulties at home.
1884. Pall Mall G., 2 Aug., 1/1. Conservative and Liberal, as we ordinarily use the terms, are distinctions having reference to a particular practical struggle, the gradual substitution of government by the whole body of the people for government by privileged classes.
b. [from the sb.] Of, belonging to, characteristic of Conservatives, or the Conservative party.
1831. Sir R. Peel, in Croker Papers (1884), II. xvi. 117. There is another party … which … thinks the imposition of a Property Tax on Ireland and the aristocracy a Conservative measure.
1832. O’Connell, Sp., 25 May. The learned Solicitor General for Ireland … admits that the details of the Bill are Conservative—that is the fashionable term, the new fangled phrase now used in polite Society to designate the Tory ascendancy.
1881. Lady Herbert, Edith, 190. A great Conservative reaction had set in.
3. Extended to characterize a similar spirit in the political movements of other countries or times, in religious inquiry, criticism, business enterprise, etc.; the connotation being generally favorable.
1845. S. Austin, Ranke’s Hist. Ref., III. 417. The one [party] … inclined to the absolute rejection of the traditional … the other, conservative even in matters of doctrine.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 181. Plato becomes more conservative as he grows older.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxvi. 384. By the conservative side of the Conqueror’s policy, by his systematic retention of the old laws and constitution of England.
1882. Jebb, Bentley, 213. No school of textual criticism, however conservative, has denied that conjecture is sometimes our sole resource.
1888. Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 17 Oct., 1/7 (Advt.). We offer these bonds and recommend them as a safe and conservative investment.
B. sb. [The adj. used absolutely.]
1. A preserving agent or principle; a preservative.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. liv. (1495), 895. Hony … clensyth and tempryth bytternesses and is therfore put in Conseruatiues.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), I. 5. A story is the testimony of tymes … beynge as in a maner a conseruatiue perpetualle to thynges mortalle.
1656. Artif. Handsom., 39. They use these customable adornings … as an attractive or conservative of their affections.
1829. Southey, Sir T. More (1831), I. 379. The rapid increase of the labouring classes renders education, as a corrective and conservative … absolutely needful.
2. Eng. Politics. A member of the Conservative party, a Tory; esp. in early use, a supporter of Sir Robert Peel.
1831. Sir R. Peel, in Croker Papers (1884), II. xvi. 116. I apprehend there are two parties among those who call themselves Conservatives.
1832. Macaulay, Mirabeau, Misc. Writ. (1860), II. 79. He would have died, to use the new cant word, a decided ‘Conservative.’
1834. Mrq. Londonderry, in Dk. Buckhm., Mem. Will. IV & Vict. (1861), II. 141. This section of the Reformers coalescing with the Duke’s former Government and the ultra Tories, uniting all under the name of Conservatives.
1843. Disraeli, To Constituents (Sel. Speeches, 1882, I. 49). Those ancient institutions which we Conservatives are bound to uphold—which you sent us to Parliament to uphold.
1860. Mill, Repr. Govt. (1865), 56/1. The Conservatives … being by the law of their existence the stupidest party.
1868. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt, 33. There are two Whigs and one Conservative likely to be in the field.
b. In general politics, religion, criticism, etc.
1843. Carlyle, Past & Pr. (1858), 197. Bull is a born conservative.
1865. Reader, 20 May, 561. We find girls naturally timid, prone to dependence, born conservatives.
1885. Tennyson, Hands all round, 7. That man’s the best [1887 true] Conservative Who lops the mouldered branch away.
