Part 483

3. Of or pertaining to a political party which favors the conservation of existing institutions and forms of government, as the Conservative party in England; -- contradistinguished from Liberal and Radical.

We have always been conscientiously attached to what is called the Tory, and which might with more propriety be called the Conservative, party. Quart. Rev. (1830).

Conservative system (Mech.), a material system of such a nature that after the system has undergone any series of changes, and been brought back in any manner to its original state, the whole work done by external agents on the system is equal to the whole work done by the system overcoming external forces. Clerk Maxwell.

Con*serv"a*tive (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, preserves from ruin, injury, innovation, or radical change; a preserver; a conserver.

The Holy Spirit is the great conservative of the new life. Jer. Taylor.

2. One who desires to maintain existing institutions and customs; also, one who holds moderate opinions in politics; -- opposed to revolutionary or radical.

3. (Eng. Hist.) A member of the Conservative party.

Con*serv"a*tive*ness, a. The quality of being conservative.

||Con`ser"va*toire` (?), n. [F.] A public place of instruction in any special branch, esp. music and the arts. [See Conservatory, 3].

Con"ser*va`tor (?; 277), n. [L.: cf. F. conservateur.] 1. One who preserves from injury or violation; a protector; a preserver.

The great Creator and Conservator of the world. Derham.

2. (Law) (a) An officer who has charge of preserving the public peace, as a justice or sheriff. (b) One who has an official charge of preserving the rights and privileges of a city, corporation, community, or estate.

The lords of the secret council were likewise made conservators of the peace of the two kingdoms. Clarendon.

The conservator of the estate of an idiot. Bouvier.

Conservators of the River Thames, a board of commissioners instituted by Parliament to have the conservancy of the Thames.

Con*serv"a*to*ry (?), a. [Cf. F. conservatoire, LL. conservatorius.] Having the quality of preserving from loss, decay, or injury.

Con*serv"a*to*ry, n. [Cf. F. conservatoire, LL. conservatorium.] 1. That which preserves from injury. [Obs.] "A conservatory of life." Jer. Taylor.

2. A place for preserving anything from loss, decay, waste, or injury; particulary, a greenhouse for preserving exotic or tender plants.

3. A public place of instruction, designed to preserve and perfect the knowledge of some branch of science or art, esp. music.

Con`ser*va"trix (?), n. [L.] A woman who preserves from loss, injury, etc.

Con*serve" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Conserved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Conserving.] [F. conserver, L. conservare; con- + servare to keep, guard. See Serve.] 1. To keep in a safe or sound state; to save; to preserve; to protect.

The amity which . . . they meant to conserve and maintain with the emperor. Strype.

2. To prepare with sugar, etc., for the purpose of preservation, as fruits, etc.; to make a conserve of.

Con"serve (?), n. [F. conserve, fr. conserver.] 1. Anything which is conserved; especially, a sweetmeat prepared with sugar; a confection.

I shall . . . study broths, plasters, and conserves, till from a fine lady I become a notable woman. Tatler.

2. (Med.) A medicinal confection made of freshly gathered vegetable substances mixed with finely powdered refined sugar. See Confection.

3. A conservatory. [Obs.] Evelyn.

Con*serv"er (?), n. One who conserves.