serve

American  

[surv] / sɜrv /

verb (used without object)

• serves,
  present (3rd person singular)
• served,
  past participle,  past
• serving
  present participle

1. to act as a servant.

   Synonyms:

   attend

2. to wait on table, as a waiter.

   Synonyms:

   attend

3. to offer or have a meal or refreshments available, as for patrons or guests.

   Come early, we're serving at six.

4. to offer or distribute a portion or portions of food or a beverage, as a host or hostess.

   It was her turn to serve at the faculty tea.

5. to render assistance; be of use; help.

   Synonyms:

   succor, aid

6. to go through a term of service, do duty as a soldier, sailor, senator, juror, etc.

7. to have definite use.

   This cup will serve as a sugar bowl.

8. to answer the purpose.

   That will serve to explain my actions.

9. (in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put the ball or shuttlecock in play with a stroke, swing, or hit.

10. to be favorable, suitable, or convenient, as weather or time.

11. Ecclesiastical. to act as a server.

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verb (used with object)

• serves,
  present (3rd person singular)
• served,
  past participle,  past
• serving
  present participle

1. to be in the service of; work for.

2. to be useful or of service to; help.

3. to go through (a term of service, imprisonment, etc.).

4. to render active service to (a sovereign, commander, etc.).

5. to render obedience or homage to (God, a sovereign, etc.).

6. to perform the duties of (a position, an office, etc.).

   to serve his mayoralty.

7. to answer the requirements of; suffice.

   This will serve our needs for the moment.

8. to contribute to; promote.

   to serve a cause.

9. to wait upon at table; act as a waiter or waitress to.

10. to carry and distribute (portions of food or drink) to a patron or a specific table, as a waiter or waitress.

11. to act as a host or hostess in offering (a person) a portion of food or drink.

    May I serve you with some tea and cake?

12. to act as a host or hostess in offering or distributing (a portion or portions of food or drink) to another.

    They served tea and cake to their guests.

13. to provide with a regular or continuous supply of something.

14. (in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put (the ball or shuttlecock) in play.

15. to treat in a specified manner.

    That served him ill.

16. Law.

    1. to make legal delivery of (a process or writ).

    2. to present (a person) with a writ.

17. to gratify (desire, wants, needs, etc.).

18. (of a male animal) to mate with; service.

19. to operate or keep in action (a gun, artillery, etc.).

20. Nautical. to wrap (a rope) tightly with small stuff, keeping the turns as close together as possible.

21. Slang. to present or embody (a particular aesthetic, persona, or quality) in a confident or captivating way.

noun

• serves
  plural

1. the act, manner, or right of serving, as in tennis.

idioms

1. serve one right, to treat one as one deserves, especially to punish justly.

   It will serve you right if she never speaks to you again.

serve British  

/ sɜːv /

verb

1. to be in the service of (a person)

2. to render or be of service to (a person, cause, etc); help

3. (in a shop) to give (customers) information about articles for sale and to hand over articles purchased

4. (tr) to provide (guests, customers, etc) with food, drink, etc

   she served her guests with cocktails

5. to distribute or provide (food, drink, etc) for guests, customers, etc

   do you serve coffee?

6. to present (food, drink, etc) in a specified manner

   cauliflower served with cheese sauce

7. (tr) to provide with a regular supply of

8. (tr) to work actively for

   to serve the government

9. (tr) to pay homage to

   to serve God

10. to answer the requirements of; suit

    this will serve my purpose

11. (intr; may take an infinitive) to have a use; function

    this wood will serve to build a fire

12. to go through (a period of service, enlistment, imprisonment, etc)

13. (intr) (of weather, conditions, etc) to be favourable or suitable

14. Also: service.  (tr) (of a male animal) to copulate with (a female animal)

15. sport to put (the ball) into play

16. (intr) RC Church to act as server at Mass or other services

17. (tr) to deliver (a legal document, esp a writ or summons) to (a person)

18. to provide (a machine, etc) with an impulse or signal for control purposes or with a continuous supply of fuel, working material, etc

19. (tr) nautical to bind (a rope, spar, etc) with wire or fine cord to protect it from chafing, etc See also seize

20. informal to pay a person back, esp for wrongful or foolish treatment or behaviour

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noun

1. sport short for service 1

2. a portion or helping of food or drink

serve More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing serve

• break someone's serve
• first come, first served
• hand to on a silver platter (serve up on a plate)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overserve
  verb (used with object)
• servable
  adjective
• serveable
  adjective
• underserved
  adjective
• unservable
  adjective
• unserved
  adjective
• well-served
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• serves
  plural

Participles

• serving
  present
• served
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• serve
  simple
• serves
  simple
• have served
  perfect
• has served
  perfect
• am serving
  progressive
• are serving
  progressive
• is serving
  progressive
• have been serving
  perfect progressive
• has been serving
  perfect progressive

Past

• served
  simple
• had served
  perfect
• was serving
  progressive
• were serving
  progressive
• had been serving
  perfect progressive

Future

• will serve
  simple
• will have served
  perfect
• will be serving
  progressive
• will have been serving
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of serve

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English serven, from Old French servir, from Latin servīre, equivalent to serv(us) “enslaved person” ( cf. serf) + -īre, infinitive suffix

Explanation

To serve is to perform a role or function. While your co-worker is out sick, you gladly serve as his replacement until he gets better. Serve comes from the Latin word for servant or slave, but you can serve people without being subordinate to them. You might serve your family hamburgers for dinner, or serve the tennis ball. If you serve a cause, you devote yourself to it. Bug repellant will serve you well on a summer fishing trip. In prison you serve time. If you're elected Mayor, you'll serve a term of three or four years.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

serve serves served serving

This volume’s collage-like spreads serve as a look book for weekend athletes and a reference work for the fashion-curious.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

"This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve," Lt Gen Robert Davis added.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Its earnings still serve as a barometer of the health of the AI ecosystem.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

Males had larger proportions of monocytes, immune cells that serve as early responders to threats.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

At the same time, sailors from two Confederate warships signed up to serve as her crew.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

During the chorus, harmonica borrowed from Stevie Wonder’s “That Girl” screeches into view, but the brightness only serves to accent the desolation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Daryanani sees opportunity for Amphenol to benefit even beyond AI, as the company, which also makes interconnect systems and antenna solutions, serves the defense and industrial markets.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

Alas, “Out of the Further” merely serves up exploding televisions and cut-rate smoke machines, making this seemingly menacing purgatory feel more like a bummer way station.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Harp also serves as something of a social media scribe for Trump, posting to his Truth Social account on his behalf.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

An avid skydiver, Horan has made more than three thousand jumps and serves on the board of the International Skydiving Museum and Hall of Fame.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge

He faced the possibility of a retrial, but instead opted to accept a plea deal that allowed him to be released based on time already served.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026

And last night, the Daily Beast published two reverential letters that Harp allegedly wrote to Trump in 2023, when she served as a presidential campaign aide.

From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026

The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer said 3,100 of its U.S. stores are served with some level of automated freight, with more than half of e-commerce fulfillment volume going through automated facilities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Up until then, he had served in different police units for more than two decades.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Over two hundred thousand Peace Corps volunteers have served in 139 countries.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

“He was a beacon of light — full of laughter, friendship, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to serving our community,” Gordon told the paper.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

"This excess in supply is also likely an additional factor serving to weigh on global sovereign debt markets with some investors preferring to invest in Big Tech as opposed to indebted sovereigns."

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

Wine cellars, cognac rooms and private bars serving cocktails have long been places to gather in luxury homes and buildings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

It involved former and serving marines from Plymouth's 30 Commando, Arbroath's 45 Commando and attached Army soldiers.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

“The new way of serving the porridge keeps it nice and hot, did you notice?”

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• accept
• attend
• complete
• follow
• pass
• perform
• work