conservative, a. and n.
(kənˈsɜːvətɪv)
[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. a. 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. a. 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 which 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 favour 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.’ 1845 ― Speech 17 Mar., For me there remains this at least—the opportunity of expressing thus publicly my belief that a Conservative Government is an Organized Hypocrisy. 1872 ― Sp. at Manchester 3 Apr., 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 n.] 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 M. E. Herbert Edith 190 A great Conservative reaction had set in. |
3. a. 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 favourable.
| 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. Characterized by caution or moderation; (esp. of an estimate) purposely or deliberately low. orig. U.S.
| 1900 Daily News 28 Apr. 5/6 This is a conservative estimate of the loss caused by yesterday's fire here and at Hull. 1903 N.Y. Tribune 6 Sept., The visitors were spending on the island the enormous total of $1,500,000 a day..and this is a conservative estimate. 1916 Times 15 Nov. 8/3 A conservative estimate makes the figure today at least half a million. 1921 Lansing Peace Negot. 155 It is conservative to say that between two and three months were spent in the drafting of a document which in the end was rejected by the Senate. 1928 Daily Tel. 25 Sept. 15/3 The distances quoted are conservative. |
B. n. [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 tr. 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. a. Eng. Polit. 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 Marquis of 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. |