deserve (dɪˈzɜːv
)
Definitions
verb
- (tr) to be entitled to or worthy of; merit
- (intr) foll by of obsolete to be worthy
Alternative Forms
deˈserved adjective deservedness (dɪˈzɜːvɪdnɪs) noun deˈserver noun Word Origin
C13: from Old French deservir, from Latin dēservīre to serve devotedly, from de- + servīre to serveTranslations
- British English:
deserve
If you say that someone deserves something, you mean that they should have it or do it because of their qualities or actions.`He deserved to suffer,' she said angrily.dɪˈzɜːv VERB `He deserved to suffer,' she said angrily.
- Spanish:
merecerse
v
- French:
mériter
vt
- German:
verdienen
- Chinese: 应得 v
- Arabic: يَسْتَحِقُ v
- Portuguese: merecer v
- Russian: заслуживать v
- Croatian: zaslužiti v
- Czech: zasloužit (si) v zasluhovat (si)
- Danish: fortjene v
- Dutch: verdienen v
- Finnish: ansaita v
- Greek: δικαιούμαι v
- Italian: meritare v
- Japanese: ･･･に値する v
- Korean: 받을 만하다 v
- Norwegian: fortjene v
- Polish: zasłużyć v zasługiwać
- Brazilian Portuguese: merecer v
- European Spanish:
merecer
v
- Swedish: förtjäna v
- Thai: สมควรได้รับ v
- Turkish: hak etmek v
- Vietnamese: xứng đáng v
Usage examples
He's a savage, unfeeling monster who doesn't deserve to breathe!
, TREASON KEEP (2001)Sikov never assigns more importance to his subjects than they actually deserve.
Globe and Mail (2003)I do agree that children deserve to get a thorough grounding in the use of their own language - for many obvious reasons.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Happiness, she would have come to believe, was something she did not deserve.
, BEYOND FEAR (2002)