If you have reservationsabout something, you are not sure that it is entirely good or right.
I told him my main reservation about his film was the ending. [+ about]
After three days, the strikers' demands were met almost without reservation.
2. countable noun
If you make a reservation, you arrange for something such as a table in a restaurant or a room in a hotel to be kept for you.
He went to the desk to make a reservation.
Accommodation is restricted so a reservation is essential.
Synonyms: booking [British], advance booking, prior arrangements More Synonyms of reservation
3. countable noun
A reservation is an area of land that is kept separate for a particular group of people to live in.
Seventeen thousand Native Americans live on this reservation.
4. See also central reservation
More Synonyms of reservation
reservation in British English
(ˌrɛzəˈveɪʃən)
noun
1.
the act or an instance of reserving
2.
something reserved, esp hotel accommodation, a seat on an aeroplane, in a theatre, etc
3. (often plural)
a stated or unstated qualification of opinion that prevents one's wholehearted acceptance of a proposal, claim, statement, etc
4.
an area of land set aside, esp (in the US) for Native American peoples
5. British
the strip of land between the two carriageways of a dual carriageway
6.
the act or process of keeping back, esp for oneself; withholding
7. law
a right or interest retained by the grantor in property granted, conveyed, leased, etc, to another
a reservation of rent
reservation in American English
(ˌrezərˈveiʃən)
noun
1.
the act of keeping back, withholding, or setting apart
2.
the act of making an exception or qualification
3.
an exception or qualification made expressly or tacitly
to accept something, but with inner reservations
4.
a tract of public land set apart for a special purpose, as for the use of a Native American tribe
5.
an arrangement to secure accommodations at a restaurant or hotel, on a boat or plane, etc
6.
the record kept or assurance given of such an arrangement
Sorry, the hotel has no reservation under that name
Word origin
[1350–1400; ME reservacioun ‹ MF reservation, equiv. to reserv(er) to reserve + -ation-ation]
reservation in Hospitality
(rɛzərveɪʃən)
Word forms: (regular plural) reservations
noun
(Hospitality (hotel): Reservations and checking in and out)
If you make a reservation, you arrange for something such as a table in a restaurant or a room in a hotel tobe kept for you.
He went to the desk to inquire and make a reservation.
How many people do you want to make a reservation for?
They wish to make a reservation for dinner at 7pm on Thursday.
cancel a reservation, change a reservation, confirm a reservation, hold a reservation, modify a reservation
Examples of 'reservation' in a sentence
reservation
He hit the central reservation before leaving the road.
The Sun (2016)
No one had any reservations about it though.
The Sun (2017)
Initial inspections have identified that 300 metres of the central reservation and a light column has been damaged with possible damage to the road surface.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No, my reservations about England are practical ones.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Name and address supplied Without reservation Why not open part of the central reservation rather than just close half a motorway?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Places are limited and early reservation is recommended.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Some prospective buyers have expressed reservations about the lack of privacy.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They pulled over and the daughter grabbed him as he reached the central reservation.
The Sun (2014)
The first action was a discreet disagreement over the reservation of a restaurant table.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Then check the great facilities available at each park and call them direct to make your reservation.
The Sun (2010)
She had been unable to secure advance reservations at two hotels she had been using.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But their whole performance is so fine that reservations are swept aside.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Why do you give me a card with a phone number for reservations which no one answers?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Rail restrictions apply please ask reservations for details.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
My main reservation about the book concerns its originality.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
All are free but because space is limited reservations are essential.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Then she pointed to the wooded area in the central reservation of the road.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Missing a dinner reservation at a restaurant was common for her.
Christianity Today (2000)
Then all you have to do is call your chosen site directly to make your reservation.
The Sun (2012)
Senior judges continue to have reservations about filming criminal trials and the difficulties of protecting jurors and witnesses.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He expressed reservations about the coaching staff, but many a captain does that.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I would ask them to write on table reservation cards.
The Sun (2011)
To book rooms email reservations.
The Sun (2014)
I would recommend it without reservation.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
My mother the trials of life with a frank phone call the reservations desk and an overnight bag, often the middle of the night.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Requests such as booking hotel rooms or restaurant reservations are done as part of the membership deal, with the cost of the room or table on top?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
reservation
British English: reservation /ˌrɛzəˈveɪʃən/ NOUN
If you have reservations about something, you are not sure that it is entirely good or right.
He had no reservations at all about leaving home.
American English: reservation doubt
Arabic: تـَحَفُّظ
Brazilian Portuguese: reserva
Chinese: 保留
Croatian: rezervacija
Czech: výhrada
Danish: reservation
Dutch: twijfel
European Spanish: reserva reservación
Finnish: epäily
French: réservation
German: Vorbehalt
Greek: κράτηση
Italian: prenotazione
Japanese: 懸念
Korean: 예약
Norwegian: reservasjon
Polish: rezerwacja
European Portuguese: reserva
Romanian: reținere
Russian: заказ
Latin American Spanish: reserva resguardo
Swedish: bokning
Thai: การจอง
Turkish: kuşku
Ukrainian: сумнів
Vietnamese: sự e dè
All related terms of 'reservation'
mental reservation
a tacit withholding of full assent or an unexpressed qualification made when one is taking an oath , making a statement, etc
reservation desk
a desk in a hotel , office, etc, where an employee takes bookings for rooms, tickets , etc
central reservation
The central reservation is the strip of ground , often covered with grass , that separates the two sides of a major road .
hold a reservation
If a hotel holds a reservation , it keeps a room for someone, and does not give it to someone else.
cancel a reservation
If you cancel a reservation , you stop it because someone who has booked a room has informed you that they no longer wish to stay there.
change a reservation
If you change a reservation , you move a booking to a different date because someone who has booked a room has informed you that they wish to stay there on a different date.
confirm a reservation
If you confirm a reservation , you inform someone who has booked a room at a hotel that the reservation is definite .
modify a reservation
If you modify a reservation , you change a detail of a booking because someone who has booked a room has asked you to.
off-reserve
located on or living in a place that is not part of a designated reserve
Indian reserve
the act or an instance of reserving
Chinese translation of 'reservation'
reservation
(rɛzəˈveɪʃən)
n
(c) (= booking) 预(預)定 (yùdìng) (个(個), gè)
(c/u) (= doubt) 保留 (bǎoliú)
(c) (= land) 保留地 (bǎoliúdì)
with reservation(s) (doubts) 持保留意见(見) (chí bǎoliú yìjiàn)
to make a reservation (in hotel, restaurant, on train) 预(預)定 (yùdìng)
1 (noun)
Definition
a doubt
Their demands were met with some reservations.
Synonyms
doubt
They were troubled and full of doubt.
reluctance
a reluctance to give official approval to the idea
scepticism
qualms
scruples
demur
hesitancy
A trace of hesitancy showed in Dr Stockton's eyes.
2 (noun)
Definition
a seat, room, etc. that has been reserved
He went to the desk to make a reservation.
Synonyms
booking (British)
There was a mistake over a late booking.
advance booking
prior arrangements
3 (noun)
Definition
(esp. in the US) an area of land set aside for American Indian peoples
a Navaho from a North American reservation
Synonyms
reserve
monkeys at the wildlife reserve
territory
They deny that any of their territory is under rebel control.
preserve
one of the world's great wildlife preserves
homeland
sanctuary
a bird sanctuary
tract
A vast tract of land is ready for development.
enclave
an Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan
rez (US, Canadian, slang)
4 (noun)
Definition
an exception or limitation that prevents one's wholehearted acceptance
Synonyms
condition
They had agreed to a summit subject to certain conditions.
rider
qualification
The empirical evidence is subject to many qualifications.
proviso
I accept, with the proviso that Jane agrees.
stipulation
His only stipulation is that his clients follow his advice.
phrase
See without reservation
Additional synonyms
in the sense of enclave
Definition
a part of a country entirely surrounded by foreign territory
an Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan
Synonyms
area,
community,
quarter,
haven,
region,
county,
reserve,
district,
province,
reservation,
constituency,
borough,
homeland,
precinct
in the sense of hesitancy
A trace of hesitancy showed in Dr Stockton's eyes.
Synonyms
indecision,
doubt,
uncertainty,
hesitation,
vacillation,
irresolution,
dubiety
in the sense of preserve
Definition
an area where game is kept for private hunting or fishing
one of the world's great wildlife preserves
Synonyms
reserve,
reservation,
sanctuary,
game reserve
Synonyms of 'reservation'
reservation
Explore 'reservation' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of proviso
Definition
a condition or stipulation
I accept, with the proviso that Jane agrees.
Synonyms
condition,
requirement,
provision,
strings,
rider,
restriction,
qualification,
clause,
reservation,
limitation,
stipulation
in the sense of qualification
Definition
a condition that modifies or limits
The empirical evidence is subject to many qualifications.
Synonyms
condition,
restriction,
proviso,
requirement,
rider,
exception,
criterion,
reservation,
allowance,
objection,
limitation,
modification,
exemption,
prerequisite,
caveat,
stipulation
in the sense of reluctance
Definition
unwillingness to do something
a reluctance to give official approval to the idea
Synonyms
unwillingness,
dislike,
loathing,
distaste,
aversion,
backwardness,
hesitancy,
disinclination,
repugnance,
indisposition,
disrelish
in the sense of sanctuary
Definition
a place, protected by law, where animals can live and breed without interference
a bird sanctuary
Synonyms
reserve,
park,
preserve,
reservation,
national park,
tract,
nature reserve,
conservation area
in the sense of scepticism
Synonyms
doubt,
agnosticism,
unbelief
in the sense of stipulation
His only stipulation is that his clients follow his advice.
Synonyms
condition,
requirement,
provision,
term,
contract,
agreement,
settlement,
rider,
restriction,
qualification,
clause,
engagement,
specification,
precondition,
prerequisite,
proviso,
sine qua non
in the sense of territory
Definition
the geographical area under the control of a particular government
They deny that any of their territory is under rebel control.