serve

[surv] /sɜrv/
verb (used without object), served, serving.
1.
to act as a servant.
2.
to wait on table, as a waiter.
3.
to offer or have a meal or refreshments available, as for patrons or guests:
Come early, we're serving at six.
4.
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.
5.
to render assistance; be of use; help.
6.
to go through a term of service; do duty as a soldier, sailor, senator, juror, etc.
7.
to have definite use:
This cup will serve as a sugar bowl.
8.
to answer the purpose:
That will serve to explain my actions.
9.
(in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put the ball or shuttlecock in play with a stroke, swing, or hit.
10.
to be favorable, suitable, or convenient, as weather or time.
11.
Ecclesiastical. to act as a server.
verb (used with object), served, serving.
12.
to be in the service of; work for.
13.
to be useful or of service to; help.
14.
to go through (a term of service, imprisonment, etc.).
15.
to render active service to (a sovereign, commander, etc.).
16.
to render obedience or homage to (God, a sovereign, etc.).
17.
to perform the duties of (a position, an office, etc.):
to serve his mayoralty.
18.
to answer the requirements of; suffice:
This will serve our needs for the moment.
19.
to contribute to; promote:
to serve a cause.
20.
to wait upon at table; act as a waiter or waitress to.
21.
to carry and distribute (portions of food or drink) to a patron or a specific table, as a waiter or waitress.
22.
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?
23.
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.
24.
to provide with a regular or continuous supply of something.
25.
(in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put (the ball or shuttlecock) in play.
26.
to treat in a specified manner:
That served him ill.
27.
Law.
  1. to make legal delivery of (a process or writ).
  2. to present (a person) with a writ.
28.
to gratify (desire, wants, needs, etc.).
29.
(of a male animal) to mate with; service.
30.
to operate or keep in action (a gun, artillery, etc.).
31.
Nautical. to wrap (a rope) tightly with small stuff, keeping the turns as close together as possible.
noun
32.
the act, manner, or right of serving, as in tennis.
Idioms
33.
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
1125-75; Middle English serven < Old French servir < Latin servīre, equivalent to serv(us) slave (cf. serf) + -īre infinitive suffix
Related forms
servable, serveable, adjective
overserve, verb (used with object)
underserved, adjective
unservable, adjective
unserved, adjective
well-served, adjective
Synonyms
1, 2. attend. 5. aid, succor.
Examples from the web for serve
  • But cloning is so expensive that such animals serve primarily as breeders and are unlikely to enter the food supply directly.
  • None of the players ranked at the top of the game serve and volley as anything but a surprise tactic.
  • serve on the faculty senate or volunteer for committee work.
  • The bacterium doesn't much affect the creatures, which serve as a reservoir for the disease.
  • serve the spread in a bowl with the toasted bread and lemon wedges surrounding it.
  • Nature reserves are meant to serve as safe havens for endangered species and keep human interference to a minimum.
  • Coconut milk can also serve as the base of non-dairy ice creams for those lactose intolerant ice cream lovers.
  • Sprinkle crisped garlic and ginger over everything and serve.
  • The university holds investments with a hedge fund and a real-estate investment trust in which trustees serve as top executives.
  • They say they are accountable both to donors and the villagers they serve.
British Dictionary definitions for serve

serve

/sɜːv/
verb
1.
to be in the service of (a person)
2.
to render or be of service to (a person, cause, etc); help
3.
(in a shop) to give (customers) information about articles for sale and to hand over articles purchased
4.
(transitive) to provide (guests, customers, etc) with food, drink, etc: she served her guests with cocktails
5.
to distribute or provide (food, drink, etc) for guests, customers, etc: do you serve coffee?
6.
(transitive) sometimes foll by up. to present (food, drink, etc) in a specified manner: cauliflower served with cheese sauce
7.
(transitive) to provide with a regular supply of
8.
(transitive) to work actively for: to serve the government
9.
(transitive) to pay homage to: to serve God
10.
to answer the requirements of; suit: this will serve my purpose
11.
(intransitive; may take an infinitive) to have a use; function: this wood will serve to build a fire
12.
to go through (a period of service, enlistment, imprisonment, etc)
13.
(intransitive) (of weather, conditions, etc) to be favourable or suitable
14.
(transitive) Also service. (of a male animal) to copulate with (a female animal)
15.
(sport) to put (the ball) into play
16.
(intransitive) (RC Church) to act as server at Mass or other services
17.
(transitive) to deliver (a legal document, esp a writ or summons) to (a person)
18.
to provide (a machine, etc) with an impulse or signal for control purposes or with a continuous supply of fuel, working material, etc
19.
(transitive) (nautical) to bind (a rope, spar, etc) with wire or fine cord to protect it from chafing, etc See also seize (sense 8)
20.
(informal) serve a person right, to pay a person back, esp for wrongful or foolish treatment or behaviour
noun
21.
(sport) short for service1 (sense 17)
22.
(Austral) a portion or helping of food or drink
Derived Forms
servable, serveable, adjective
Word Origin
C13: from Old French servir, from Latin servīre, from servus a slave
Word Origin and History for serve
v.

late 12c., "to render habitual obedience to," also "minister, give aid, give help," from Old French servir "to do duty toward, show devotion to; set table, serve at table; offer, provide with," from Latin servire "be a servant, be in service, be enslaved;" figuratively "be devoted; be governed by; comply with; conform; flatter," originally "be a slave," related to servus "slave," perhaps from Etruscan (cf. Etruscan proper names Servi, Serve, Latinized as Servius).

By c.1200 also as "to be in the service of, perform a service for; attend upon, be personal servant to; be a slave; owe allegiance to; officiate at Mass or other religious rites;" from early 13c. as "set food at table;" mid-14c. as "to wait on (customers)." From late 14c. as "treat (someone or something) in some fashion." To serve (someone) right "to treat as he deserves" is recorded from 1580s.

He no schuld neuer wond
To seruen him fro fot to hond
["Amis and Amiloun," c.1330]
Sense of "be useful, be beneficial, be suitable for a purpose or function" is from early 14c.; that of "take the place or meet the needs of, be equal to the task" is from late 14c.; that of "suffice" is from mid-15c. Meaning "render active military service" is from 1510s. Sporting sense, in tennis, badminton, etc., first recorded 1580s. Legal sense "present" (a writ, warrant,etc.), "give legal notice of" is from early 15c.

n.

1680s, in sports (tennis, etc.), from serve (v.).

serve in Technology
networking
To be a server, to provide a service.
E.g., "The shttpd serves requested documents to clients over a secure link."
(1997-09-11)
Idioms and Phrases with serve

serve

also see: