serve (sɜːv
)
Definitions
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, etc ⇒
she served her guests with cocktails
- to distribute or provide (food, drink, etc) for guests, customers, etc ⇒
do you serve coffee?
- (tr) up to present (food, drink, etc) in a specified manner ⇒
cauliflower served with cheese sauce
- (tr) to provide with a regular supply of
- (tr) to work actively for ⇒
to serve the government
- (tr) to pay homage to ⇒
to serve God
- to answer the requirements of; suit ⇒
this will serve my purpose
- (intr; may take an infinitive) to have a use; function ⇒
this 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
service (tr) (of a male animal) to copulate with (a female animal)- sport to put (the ball) into play
- (intr) Roman Catholic 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, etc See also seize (sense 8)
- See serve a person right
noun
- sport short for service1 (sense 17)
- Australian a portion or helping of food or drink
Alternative Forms
ˈservable ˈserveable adjectiveWord Origin
C13: from Old French servir, from Latin servīre, from servus a slaveSynonyms
View thesaurus entryQuotations
"They also serve who only stand and wait"
"If you would be well served, serve yourself"
Translations
- British English:
serve
A serve is when you hit a ball or a shuttlecock in a game of tennis or badminton in order to start the game.His second serve clipped the net.sɜːv NOUN His second serve clipped the net.
- Spanish:
servicio
nm
- French:
service
nm
- German:
Aufschlag
nm Aufschläge
- Chinese: 发球 n
- Arabic: ضَرْبةٌ مَبْدَئِيَّة n
- Portuguese: serviço nm
- Russian: подача nf
- Croatian: servis n
- Czech: podání nnt
- Danish: serv nutr
- Dutch: serve n
- Finnish: syöttö n
- Greek: σερβίρισμα nnt
- Italian: servizio nm
- Japanese: サーブ n
- Korean: 서브 n
- Norwegian: serve nm
- Polish: serwis nm
- Brazilian Portuguese: serviço nm
- European Spanish:
servicio
nm
- Swedish: serve v
- Thai: การเสิร์ฟลูกเทนนิส n
- Turkish: servis atmak n
- Vietnamese: cú giao bóng n
- British English:
serve
If you serve your country, an organization, or a person, you do useful work for them.He served the government loyally for 30 years.sɜːv VERB He served the government loyally for 30 years.
- Spanish:
servir
v
- French:
servir
vt
- German:
dienen
v
- Chinese: 服务 v
- Arabic: يَخْدِمُ v
- Portuguese: servir v
- Russian: обслуживать v
- Croatian: služiti v
- Czech: sloužit v
- Danish: tjene v
- Dutch: serveren v
- Finnish: palvella v
- Greek: υπηρετώ v
- Italian: servire v
- Japanese: 仕える v
- Korean: 섬기다 v
- Norwegian: servere v
- Polish: obsłużyć v obsługiwać
- Brazilian Portuguese: servir v
- European Spanish:
servir
v
- Swedish: tjäna v
- Thai: บริการ v
- Turkish: hizmet etmek v
- Vietnamese: phục vụ v
Usage examples
I felt for her as I would for any child snatched away from her home and forced to serve a purpose not her own.
, THE GOLDEN FOOL: Book Two of the Tawny Man (2002)Most importantly, perhaps, the state-of-the-art kitchen can serve up to 150 guests at a time.
Country Life (2004)Ms O'Reilly said Mr Cullen was angry when she refused to serve him.
Irish Times (2002)He said if he lost he would not serve in a Portillo shadow cabinet.
Glasgow Herald (2001)The best way that any would-be or practising witch can serve the community is by being a valuable member of that society.
, A WITCH ALONE (2002)