serve
Americanverb (used without object)
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to act as a servant.
- Synonyms:
- attend
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to wait on table, as a waiter.
- Synonyms:
- attend
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to offer or have a meal or refreshments available, as for patrons or guests.
Come early, we're serving at six.
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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.
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to render assistance; be of use; help.
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to go through a term of service, do duty as a soldier, sailor, senator, juror, etc.
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to have definite use.
This cup will serve as a sugar bowl.
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to answer the purpose.
That will serve to explain my actions.
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(in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put the ball or shuttlecock in play with a stroke, swing, or hit.
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to be favorable, suitable, or convenient, as weather or time.
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Ecclesiastical. to act as a server.
verb (used with object)
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to be in the service of; work for.
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to be useful or of service to; help.
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to go through (a term of service, imprisonment, etc.).
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to render active service to (a sovereign, commander, etc.).
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to render obedience or homage to (God, a sovereign, etc.).
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to perform the duties of (a position, an office, etc.).
to serve his mayoralty.
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to answer the requirements of; suffice.
This will serve our needs for the moment.
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to contribute to; promote.
to serve a cause.
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to wait upon at table; act as a waiter or waitress to.
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to carry and distribute (portions of food or drink) to a patron or a specific table, as a waiter or waitress.
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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?
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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.
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to provide with a regular or continuous supply of something.
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(in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put (the ball or shuttlecock) in play.
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to treat in a specified manner.
That served him ill.
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Law.
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to make legal delivery of (a process or writ).
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to present (a person) with a writ.
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to gratify (desire, wants, needs, etc.).
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(of a male animal) to mate with; service.
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to operate or keep in action (a gun, artillery, etc.).
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Nautical. to wrap (a rope) tightly with small stuff, keeping the turns as close together as possible.
noun
idioms
verb
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to be in the service of (a person)
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to render or be of service to (a person, cause, etc); help
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(in a shop) to give (customers) information about articles for sale and to hand over articles purchased
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(tr) to provide (guests, customers, etc) with food, drink, etc
she served her guests with cocktails
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to distribute or provide (food, drink, etc) for guests, customers, etc
do you serve coffee?
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to present (food, drink, etc) in a specified manner
cauliflower served with cheese sauce
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(tr) to provide with a regular supply of
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(tr) to work actively for
to serve the government
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(tr) to pay homage to
to serve God
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to answer the requirements of; suit
this will serve my purpose
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(intr; may take an infinitive) to have a use; function
this wood will serve to build a fire
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to go through (a period of service, enlistment, imprisonment, etc)
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(intr) (of weather, conditions, etc) to be favourable or suitable
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Also: service. (tr) (of a male animal) to copulate with (a female animal)
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sport to put (the ball) into play
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(intr) RC Church to act as server at Mass or other services
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(tr) to deliver (a legal document, esp a writ or summons) to (a person)
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to provide (a machine, etc) with an impulse or signal for control purposes or with a continuous supply of fuel, working material, etc
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(tr) nautical to bind (a rope, spar, etc) with wire or fine cord to protect it from chafing, etc See also seize
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informal to pay a person back, esp for wrongful or foolish treatment or behaviour
noun
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sport short for service 1
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a portion or helping of food or drink
Other Word Forms
- overserve verb (used with object)
- servable adjective
- serveable adjective
- underserved adjective
- unservable adjective
- unserved adjective
- well-served adjective
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” ( serf ) + -īre, infinitive suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This year, the Golden Globes are a multi-day affair, with an inaugural “Golden Week” serving as a proverbial pregame for Hollywood’s party of the year.
From Los Angeles Times
So as an actor I love the freedom of just being there to serve the story.
From Los Angeles Times
He served for 13 years as a county supervisor before resigning in August 2024.
From Los Angeles Times
Witnesses that day, including women serving in Congress, recall the terror, running for their lives and calling their loved ones to say goodbye.
From Salon
Fortunately, there are secular public voices that are speaking this moral language who should serve as examples for their peers.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
