From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishin reservein reserveKEEP/STOREready to be used if needed We always keep some money in reserve, just in case. → reserve
Examples from the Corpus
keep ... in reserve• Almost immediately, the Company Commander committed his third platoon, which had been kept in reserve for just such an eventuality.• Sampson top scored for Sheffield with 12 and 13 not out having been kept in reserve too long in the second innings.• The girl who hooks a rich man got to keep some bait in reserve. 