serve
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serve (sʉrv)
transitive verb served, serving serv′·ing
- to work for as a servant
- to do services or duties for; give service to; aid; assist; help
- to give obedience and reverent honor to (God, one's lord, etc.)
- Archaic to pay court to (a lady)
- to do military or naval service for
- to pass or spend (a term of imprisonment, military service, etc.) to serve a year in prison
- to carry out the duties connected with (a position, office, etc.)
- to act as server for (Mass, Benediction, etc.)
- to wait on (customers), as in a store
- to provide (customers, clients, or users) with goods or services, esp. professional services
- to provide (goods) for customers; supply
- to prepare and offer (food, etc.) in a certain way serve the beef with rice
- to offer or set food, etc. before (a person)
- to give someone a portion or portions of (food, etc.) at the table please serve me some peas
- to meet the needs or satisfy the requirements of a tool to serve many purposes
- to promote or further to serve the national interest
- to be used by a hospital that serves the entire city
- to function or perform for if memory serves me well
- to behave toward; treat to be cruelly served
- to deliver (a legal instrument, as a summons)
- to deliver a legal instrument to; esp., to present with a writ
- to hit (a tennis ball, etc.) to one's opponent in order to start play
- to copulate with (a female): said of an animal
- Naut. to put a binding around in order to protect or strengthen (rope, etc.)
Etymology: ME serven < OFr servir < L servire, to serve < servus, servant, slave: see serf
intransitive verb
- to work as a servant
- to be in service; do service to serve in the navy
- to carry out the duties connected with a position, office, etc.
- to act as server for Mass, Benediction, etc.
- to be used or usable; be of service; function
- to meet needs or satisfy requirements
- to provide guests with something to eat or drink, as by waiting on table
- to be suitable or favorable: said of weather, wind, etc.
- to start play by hitting the ball, etc. to one's opponent, as in tennis
noun
serve someone right
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Alternate definitions:
serve
v.
To fulfill an obligation
carry out, complete, hear duty's call, hearken to the call of duty, obey the call of one's country, acquit oneself of an obligation, subserve, discharge one's duty, live up to one's duty. To work for
be employed by, labor, toil, carry on a trade, be in the employ of; see also work 2.To help
To serve at table
To obey
Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Object
- notice: Whole streets are being bought up by Hebrew syndicates, whose first act is to serve notice on all Gentile tenants.
Preposition: on
- committee: Committee Members may not serve on any one committee for more than two terms.
Preposition: as
- catalyst: Minerals and trace elements serve as vital catalysts for the biological reactions that take place within the body.
Adjective complement
- hot: Serve hot with custard, cream or ice cream.
Infinitive complement
- remind: If that is the case, the incident serves to remind us that Jesus has the authority to pass God's judgment.
Preposition: in
- army: He isn't trusted to serve in the army.
The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.
Choose you this day whom ye will serve but as for me and my house, we will serve the L.
Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them.
All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice; Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell, Come ye before Him, and rejoice.
Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Cite this page:
MLA Style
"serve." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009
- Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
- <www.yourdictionary.com/serve>
APA Style
serve. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary
- Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/serve
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