[a. F. conserve = It., Sp., med.L. conserva, f. conservāre, F. conserver to preserve: see next.]
† 1. A preserving agent, a preservative. Obs.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 86. The firste [science] which is the conserve And keper of the remenaunt.
1503. Hawes, Examp. Virt., vii. 145. I nature … am … The fonteyne of his vaynes inferyall To him conserue moost dere and specyall.
1553. T. Watson, in Crowley, Soph. Dr. Watson, i. (1569), 95. A conserue or a thing that preserueth our bodyes to the immortalitie of eternall life.
1590. Greene, Never too late (1600), 76. A conserue against such lawlesse concupiscence.
† 2. A conservatory for plants. Obs.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 21. Set the Pots … into your Conserve. Ibid. (1664), Sylva (1776), 368. Trees … that were carried into the Conserve.
† 3. A preserve, a store, a hoard. Obs.
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1589), 69. Within us … we shall finde there a heape and conserve of many, divers and different evils.
1652. Cleveland, Poems, 3. Next to those sweets her lips dispence, As Twin-conserves of Eloquence.
4. A medicinal or confectionary preparation of some part of a plant (as the flowers, leaves, roots, fruit) preserved with sugar. (Formerly CONSERVA.)
1530. Palsgr., 208/1. Conserve made of floures or frute, conserue.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 35 b. The conserue … of Rosmari is good for them that swoun, and are week harted.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, vii. 149. The Conserue of Red Roses comforteth the heart and liuer.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med. (1790), 185. The bark … may be made into an electuary, with the conserve of roses.
1854. S. Thomson, Wild Fl., III. (ed. 4), 303. The heps [of the Dog-rose] are used for a conserve.
b. pl. Confections, ‘preserves.’
1555. Eden, Decades, 238. They make muche Ginger in conserues with sugar.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., Induct. ii. 3. Wilt please your Honor taste of these Conserues?
1648. Gage, West Ind. (1655), 25. A table ready furnished with boxes of Conserves.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Pope, Wks. IV. 92. Amused himself with biscuits and dry Conserves.
1883. A. Dobson, Old-World Idylls, 16. She was renowned, traditions say, For June conserves, for curds and whey.
