Reserve n 1: the act or occurrence of reserving [rights] 2: the formation of a new right or interest (as an easement) in real property transferred to someone by and for a grantor; also, the right or interest thus formed or the provision generating it in a deed. Contrast with exception. 3a: something kept back from public view or notice . B: a portion of land set apart for some purpose especially when marked off by monuments . In the context of law, a reservation is the act of specifically identifying something that is not already known. For example, if I buy a house and do not know that there is a leak in the roof, I can reserve the right to have it fixed. If I eat at a restaurant and don't know that one of the plates has been used for disposing of waste, I can reserve the right to bring my own dish to avoid contamination. Reservations are also called exceptions because they are a way of stating that something other than what is apparent from the face of the document happens instead. For example, if I buy a house and know that there is a leak in the roof, I can include a clause in the contract saying that if the roof needs to be replaced, then the seller will pay for it. This would be an exception because what's apparent from the face of the document is that I want the roof fixed, not replaced.