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- DictionaryServe/sərv/
verb
- 1. perform duties or services for (another person or an organization): "Malcolm has served the church very faithfully" Similar work forbe in the service ofperform duties forbe employed byhave a job withobeybe obedient tocarry out the wishes ofbe of service tobe of use tohelpgive help toassistgive assistance toaidlend a hand togive a helping hand todo a good turn tomake a contribution todo one's bit fordo something forbenefitminister tosuccorbe a member ofwork onbe onsit onhave/hold a place onperform duties oncarry out duties on
- ▪ provide (an area or group of people) with a product or service: "a telecommunications company that serves southern New England"
- ▪ be employed as a member of the armed forces: "a military engineer who served with the army"
- ▪ spend (a period) in office, in an apprenticeship, or in prison: "he is serving a ten-year jail sentence" Similar carry outperformdofulfillcompletedischargespendgo through
- 2. present (food or drink) to someone: "they serve wine instead of beer" Similar dish up/outgive outdistributeset outplate upspoon outladle outpresentprovidesupplymake available
- ▪ present (someone) with food or drink: "Peter served them generous portions of soup" Similar act as waiter/waitresswaitdistribute food/refreshmentsinformal:sling hashsling plates
- ▪ (of food or drink) be enough for: "the recipe serves four people"
- ▪ attend to (a customer in a store): British "she turned to serve the impatient customer" Similar attend togive one's attention toattend to the requirements ofdeal withsee toassisthelplook aftertake care of
- ▪ supply (goods) to a customer.
- ▪ act as a server at the celebration of the Eucharist.
- ▪ play (a trick) on (someone): archaic "I remember the trick you served me"
- 3. deliver (a document such as a summons or writ) in a formal manner to the person to whom it is addressed: "he said his lawyer would serve a writ to the multinational corporation within a week"
- ▪ deliver a document to (someone) in a formal manner: "they were just about to serve him with a writ" Similar deliver topresent withgive tohand over tocause to accept
- 4. be of use in achieving or satisfying: "this book will serve a useful purpose" Similar sufficebe adequatebe good enoughbe all rightfit/fill the billdoanswerbe usefulserve a purposemeet requirementssuit
- ▪ be of some specified use: "sweat serves to cool down the body" Similar act asfunction asfulfill the function ofdo duty asdo the work ofact as a substitute for
- ▪ function for or treat (someone) in a specified way: "the strategy served him well" Similar treatdeal withact towardbehave towardconduct oneself towardhandle
- ▪ (of a male breeding-animal) copulate with (a female).
- 5. (in tennis and other racket sports) hit the ball or shuttlecock to begin play: "he tossed the ball up to serve"
- 6. bind (a rope) with thin cord to protect or strengthen it.
- 7. operate (a gun): "before long Lodge was the only man in his section able to serve the guns"
noun
- 1. (in tennis and other racket sports) an act of hitting the ball or shuttlecock to start play: "he was let down by an erratic serve"
Word Origin Middle English: from Old French servir, from Latin servire, from servus ‘slave’.
Scrabble Points: 8
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