conservatism /kan'sxvatizm; kan'svatizam/ n [U] tendency to maintain a state of affairs (esp in politics) without great or sudden change; the principles of the Conservative Party in British politics. (尤指政治上主張維持現(xiàn)狀而不作大幅度或突然 、之改革的) 保領(lǐng)性; 保守主義; 英國政界保守黨的政策。