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Glite Dictionary
to preserve colors

to preserve colors

3.7
Keep colors from fading in clothes or curtains
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : preservar colores
  • Curtains exposed to sunlight may require special care to preserve colors.

Examples

  • Using a gentle detergent will help preserve colors in your favorite shirts.

  • You should preserve colors in your artwork.

  • It is recommended to wash dark clothing separately to preserve colors.

  • The artist uses special techniques to preserve colors.

  • To keep your artwork vibrant, use a special spray to preserve colors on the canvas.

  • She always washes her clothes in cold water to preserve colors and prevent fading.

  • The new fabric treatment is designed to preserve colors during washing and drying.

Antonyms

to fade
531 1.2

To slowly become less visible, bright, or loud

bleach
2 2.7

The act of making something lighter in color, often with chemicals

How Colorfast

to preserve colors
3.7
to dull
33 3.4
to fade
531 1.2

Surface Forms

preserve colors infinitive
preserved colors past
preserved colors past participle
preserving colors present participle
preserves colors third person singular

Morphology

preserve + color

The meaning 'to maintain or prevent fading of original colors' is directly and compositionally derived from 'preserve' (to keep unchanged) combined with 'colors' (visual attributes). This verb + noun collocation follows a transparent, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Preserve colors comes from the simple image of covering cloth or paintings so their bright colors stay safe from sun and rough washing. So, to preserve colors means to protect the original look so the colors do not 'fade'.