Re·serve v. t. [imp. & p. p. Reserved. (z░rvd");p. pr. & vb. n. Reserving.]
 1. To keep back; to retain; not to deliver, make over, or disclose. “I have reserved to myself nothing.”
 2. Hence, to keep in store for future or special use; to withhold from present use for another purpose or time; to keep; to retain; to make a reservation7.
 Note: In cases where one person or party makes a request to an agent that some accommodation (such as a hotel room or place at a restaurant) be kept (reserved) for their use at a particular time, the word reserve applies both to the action of the person making the request, and to the action of the agent who takes the approproriate action (such as a notation in a book of reservations) to be certain that the accommodation is available at that time.
    Hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble?   --Job xxxviii. 22,23.
    Reserve your kind looks and language for private hours.   --Swift.
 3. To make an exception of; to except. [R.]