serve

[ surv ]

/ sɜrv /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: serve / served / serving on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), served, serv·ing.

to act as a servant.

to wait on table, as a waiter.

to offer or have a meal or refreshments available, as for patrons or guests: Come early, we're serving at six.

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.

to render assistance; be of use; help.

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

to have definite use: This cup will serve as a sugar bowl.

to answer the purpose: That will serve to explain my actions.

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

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

Ecclesiastical. to act as a server.

verb (used with object), served, serv·ing.

to be in the service of; work for.

to be useful or of service to; help.

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

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

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

to perform the duties of (a position, an office, etc.): to serve his mayoralty.

to answer the requirements of; suffice: This will serve our needs for the moment.

to contribute to; promote: to serve a cause.

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

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

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?

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.

to provide with a regular or continuous supply of something.

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

to treat in a specified manner: That served him ill.

Law.

to make legal delivery of (a process or writ).
to present (a person) with a writ.

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

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

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

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

noun

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

OTHER WORDS FOR serve

1, 2 attend.

5 aid, succor.

See synonyms for serve on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS

Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

Question 1 of 7

What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about serve

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.

Origin of serve

1125–75; Middle English serven<Old French servir<Latin servīre, equivalent to serv(us) slave (cf. serf) + -īre infinitive suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM serve

serv·a·ble, serve·a·ble, adjectiveo·ver·serve, verb (used with object)un·der·served, adjectiveun·serv·a·ble, adjective

un·served, adjectivewell-served, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use serve in a sentence

She crushed groundstrokes and crashed serves, the latter a budding knack sure to help make her pure hell for opponents for years to come.
With power and fortitude, Naomi Osaka outplays her idol to advance to Australian Open final|Chuck Culpepper|February 18, 2021|Washington Post
She received another code violation when she smashed her racket onto the court after Osaka had broken her serve.
Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka have a brief but memorable history|Cindy Boren|February 17, 2021|Washington Post
This means our plant-based soft serve being available in every Wendy’s and our ice cream pints being available in every grocery store.
This plant-based ice cream startup celebrated its first summer season during a pandemic|Rachel King|October 12, 2020|Fortune
As it turns out, partnering with fintechs to originate loans may be a more efficient way to serve lots of small businesses than just offering those loans directly under your own banner, particularly in a pandemic.
Meet the one-branch bank that did more PPP lending than Citi|Jen Wieczner|July 15, 2020|Fortune

They encouraged the families they served to make custom grocery store lists as well.
How Black Communities Are Bridging the Food Access Gap|Nadra Nittle|July 8, 2020|Eater
The Pentagon said Faal served in the Air Force for seven years, during which time he became a U.S. citizen.
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country|Jacob Siegel|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The smell of grilled meat mixes with the exotic wafts of cinnamon tea served with a mush of sweet brown dessert.
The Photographer Who Gave Up Manhattan for Marrakech|Liza Foreman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Those who served abroad were treated with suspicion that they had been infected by European diplomacy.
U.S. Embassies Have Always Been for Sale|William O’Connor|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He served the community well, but he clearly has to make a decision based on why he left.
Will Dirty Pol Vito Fossella Replace Dirty Pol Michael Grimm?|David Freedlander|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His son, Yaqoob Bizenjo, served as a member of the National Assembly until 2013.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontellier's eyes that the damp sleeve of her peignoir no longer served to dry them.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
The white men served their smoking cannon with a wild energy that, for a time, made the gallant nine equal to a thousand.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Everybody began talking at once the minute dinner was served, as they always do at table in Germany.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
In 1883 she served with many distinguished artists on the art jury of the International Exhibition at Amsterdam.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
Large divans of the richest crimson and violet brocades lined the walls, while ample curtains of the same served in lieu of doors.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various

British Dictionary definitions for serve

serve

/ (sɜːv) /

verb

to be in the service of (a person)

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

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

(tr) to provide (guests, customers, etc) with food, drink, etcshe served her guests with cocktails

to distribute or provide (food, drink, etc) for guests, customers, etcdo you serve coffee?

(tr sometimes foll by up) to present (food, drink, etc) in a specified mannercauliflower served with cheese sauce

(tr) to provide with a regular supply of

(tr) to work actively forto serve the government

(tr) to pay homage toto serve God

to answer the requirements of; suitthis will serve my purpose

(intr; may take an infinitive) to have a use; functionthis wood will serve to build a fire

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

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

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

sport to put (the ball) into play

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

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

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

(tr) nautical to bind (a rope, spar, etc) with wire or fine cord to protect it from chafing, etcSee also seize (def. 8)

serve a person right informal to pay a person back, esp for wrongful or foolish treatment or behaviour

noun

sport short for service 1 (def. 17)

Australian a portion or helping of food or drink

Derived forms of serve

servable or serveable, adjective

Word Origin for serve

C13: from Old French servir, from Latin servīre, from servus a slave

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with serve

serve

In addition to the idioms beginning with serve

serve a purpose
serve one right
serve time
serve up

also see:

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

serve

OTHER WORDS FOR serve

Idioms about serve

Origin of serve

OTHER WORDS FROM serve

Words related to serve

How to use serve in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for serve

Derived forms of serve

Word Origin for serve

Other Idioms and Phrases with serve