Definition of the word serve - Word и Excel - помощь в работе с программами

serve: sə:v
1. гл.
1) служить в доме (у кого-л.) , быть слугой
2) состоять на государственной службе, служить, работать
3) состоять на службе в рядах Вооруженных сил, служить в армии My uncle served in/with the 8th Army. ≈ Мой дядя служил в восьмой армии.
4) а) быть полезным, оказывать помощь, помогать He served us so much! ≈ Он так нам помог! б) перен. сопутствовать, благоприятствовать (о погодных условиях)
5) годиться, удовлетворять, подходить it will serve as occasion serves serve no purpose Syn : satisfy, fit, suit
2.
6) накрывать на стол, подавать (на стол) When I was working in the hotel, I had to serve dinner to twenty-five people at a time. ≈ Когда я работал в гостинице, я должен был накрывать ужин одновременно для двадцати пяти человек. It’s time to serve up the main course. ≈ Пора подавать горячее.
7) а) обслуживать;
снабжать б) управлять, оперировать (каким-л. прибором, аппаратом) serve a gun
отбывать срок (службы, наказания и т. п.) to serve one’s apprenticeship, to serve one’s time ≈ проходить курс ученичества
9) обходиться с, поступать He served them generously. ≈ Он великодушно поступил с ними.
10) церк. служить службу
11) юр. вручать (повестку кому-л.;
on) serve notice
12) подавать мяч (в теннисе и т. п.) That was a tricky ball he served to me, there was no hope of returning it. ≈ Он сделал очень хитрую подачу, не было практически никаких шансов взять ее.
13) мор. клетневать ∙ serve as serve for serve on serve out serve round serve with serve a trick
2. сущ.;
спорт подача (мяча) good serve ≈ хорошая подача long serve ≈ длинная подача out serve ≈ подача, ушедшая за контур поля a serve to the backhand ≈ удар слева
подача (мяча) (теннис, бадминтон) — good * хорошая подача — whose * is it? чья подача? служить, быть слугой — to * a master служить хозяину — to * two masters быть слугой двух господ — to * one’s country служить своей родине — his eyes didn’t seem to * him глаза, казалось, отказывались ему служить — if my memory *s me right если мне память не изменяет работать, состоять на службе, быть служащим (тж. * out) — to * in an office служить в конторе — to * on a committee быть членом комитета — to * on a jury (юридическое) исполнять обязанности присяжного заседателя — to * as a secretary работать серктарем — to be willing to * at a small salary соглашаться работать за небольшое жалование /вознаграждение/ служить в армии, быть военным — to * in the army служить в армии — to * in the ranks служить рядовым — to * abroad служить в войсках, находящихся за границей — to * in the war быть участником войны — to have *d in twenty campaigns быть ветераном двадцати походов — to * under smb. /under smb.’s command/ служить под чьим-л. началом /командованием/ — he *d under Admiral N он служил при адмирале Н. — he’s not the sort of man I’d like to * under он не такой человек, которого я бы хотел иметь своим начальником /командиром/ обслуживать — to * badly плохо обслуживать — this railway line *s a large district эта железнодорожная линия обслуживает обширный район — all floors are *d by elevator лифт обслуживает все этажи — the doctor *s a large area врач обслуживает большой район снабжать — to * a town with water снабжать город водой — to * a gun with ammunition обеспечивать орудие боеприпасами заниматься клиентами, покупателями, обслуживать — to * customers обслуживать покупателей /клиентов/ — are you being *ed? вами занимаются?, вас обслуживают? — I’m waiting to be *d я жду, когда меня обслужат /когда мной займутся/ — to * a customer with smth. отпускать покупателю что-л. (часто * out, * up) подавать (на стол) , разносить (пищу, напитки) ;
обслуживать — to * at table подавать, обслуживать (в ресторане и т. п.) — to * breakfast подавать завтрак — * the coffee in the drawing-room подайте кофе в гостиной — dinner is *d! обед подан! — to * smth. hot подавать что-л. горячим — soup should be *d up very hot суп следует подавать очень горячим — to * out fish for supper подавать на ужин рыбу — no wines were *d at the dinner вина за обедом не подавали — to * smth. to smb. подать что-л. кому-л. — ladies are *d before men сначала подают дамам — I was *d with tea and cake мне подали чай с пирогом — sometimes they * (up) a good meal here здесь иногда хорошо кормят — the dinner was well *d up обед был хорошо сервирован — to * smth. round обносить кругом (гостей напитками и т. п.) , угощать (гостей) — wine was *d round вино было пущено по кругу кормить, пичкать (несвежим) — to * up an old tale пересказывать старую басню — TV keeps serving up the same diet of old movies телевидение все время пичкает нас старыми фильмами выполнять назначение;
служить (для чего-л.) ;
использоваться, применяться — to * some useful purpose послужить какой-л. полезной цели — to * no purpose никуда /ни на что/ не годиться — to * as a lesson to smb. послужить кому-л. уроком — to * as a pretext служить поводом — it *s to show the folly of smb. это служит подтверждением безрассудства кого-л. — to * its turn /its purpose/ выполнять свое назначение — the box *d him as a table ящик служил ему столом — I want a sofa to * for a bed я хочу, чтобы диван служил мне кроватью быть полезным, оказывать помощь;
содействовать — to * the cause of peace служить делу мира — to * smb.’s interests служить чьим-л. интересам — I would do much to * you я бы многое отдал, чтобы быть вам полезным — I wish I could * you in this matter жаль, что я не могу помочь вам в этом деле — no human power can * us ничто не может /не в силах человека/ помочь нам — sound education will * you in good stead in the affairs of life основательное образование будет вам хорошим помощником в жизни благоприятствовать (о погоде, времени) — when occasion *s при удобном /подходящем/ случае удовлетворять, годиться, быть достаточным — that excuse will not * you эта отговорка не оправдывает вас — this didn’t * our turn это нам не подходило, это нас не устраивало — to * smb.’s need удовлетворять чьи-л. потребности — this amount will * me for a year этой суммы мне хватит на год — that *s to show that he is honest это является (достаточным) доказательством его честности отбывать срок (службы, полномочий, наказания) — to * an apprenticeship проходить курс ученичества — to * one’s time /one’s term/ отслужить свой срок;
отбывать срок наказания (тж. to * a sentence) — he has *d his full term in office срок его полномочий истек — this suit has *d its time костюм свое отслужил — to * time отбывать срок /наказание/ — he *d eight months in jail он отсидел восемь месяцев в тюрьме (разговорное) обходиться (с кем-л.) , поступать — to * smb. well обходиться с кем-л. хорошо — she was *d very cruelly с ней обошлись очень жестоко — you have no business to * me like that ты не имеешь права так со мной обращаться (церковное) служить службу подавать мяч (теннис и волейбол) — to * well подавать хорошо — it is your turn to * ваша очередь подавать (юридическое) доставлять, вручать (повестку и т. п.) — to * smb. with a notice вызывать кого-л. повесткой в суд — to * a warrant on smb. предъявлять кому-л. ордер на арест — they’ve *d a summons on him, they’ve *d him with a summons они вручили ему повестку (сельскохозяйственное) случать, спаривать — to * a mare случать кобылу (морское) клетневать > to * before the mast служить (простым) матросом на торговом судне > to * a gun вести огонь из орудия > to * hand and foot служить верой и правдой > to * the time приспосабливаться к духу времени;
держать нос по ветру > to * smb. a (dirty) trick сыграть с кем-л. (плохую) шутку > to * (smb.) with the same sauce to serve with the same * (пословица) платить той же монетой, отвечать дерзостью на дерзость > it will * это то, что нужно;
этого будет достаточно > it will * for the moment в данный момент это сойдет > it *s him right! поделом!, так ему и надо!
it will ~ этого будет достаточно;
as occassion serves когда представляется случай;
to serve no purpose никуда не годиться
~ for служить (в качестве чего-л.) ;
the bundle served him for a pillow сверток служил ему подушкой
~ подавать (на стол) ;
dinner is served! обед подан!
~ служить в армии;
he served in North Africa он проходил военную службу в Северной Африке
~ обходиться с, поступать;
he served me shamefully он обошелся со мной отвратительно
it serves him (her) right! поделом ему (ей) !;
to serve (smb.) a trick сыграть (с кем-л.) шутку
it will ~ это то, что нужно it will ~ этого будет достаточно;
as occassion serves когда представляется случай;
to serve no purpose никуда не годиться
serve благоприятствовать (о ветре и т. п.) ~ быть полезным, помогать ~ быть служащим ~ юр. вручать (повестку кому-л., on) ;
to serve notice формально, официально извещать ~ вручать (судебный документ) ~ вручать документ ~ годиться, удовлетворять ~ мор. клетневать ~ обслуживать, управлять;
to serve a gun стрелять из орудия ~ обслуживать;
снабжать;
to serve a customer заниматься с покупателем, клиентом ~ обслуживать ~ обходиться с, поступать;
he served me shamefully он обошелся со мной отвратительно ~ отбывать (наказание) ~ отбывать наказание ~ отбывать срок (службы, наказания и т. п.) ;
to serve one’s apprenticeship (или time) проходить курс ученичества ~ подавать (на стол) ;
dinner is served! обед подан! ~ подавать мяч (в теннисе и т. п.) ~ спорт. подача (мяча) ~ (шотл.) признавать наследником в судебном порядке ~ служить;
быть полезным;
to serve one’s country служить своей родине;
to serve two masters быть слугой двух господ ~ служить, обслуживать ~ служить ~ служить в армии;
he served in North Africa он проходил военную службу в Северной Африке ~ церк. служить службу ~ состоять на службе to ~ in the ranks служить рядовым;
to serve (under smb.) служить под начальством (кого-л.)
~ обслуживать, управлять;
to serve a gun стрелять из орудия
this busline serves a large district эта автобусная линия обслуживает большой район;
to serve a town with water снабжать город водой
it serves him (her) right! поделом ему (ей) !;
to serve (smb.) a trick сыграть (с кем-л.) шутку
to ~ as (smb., smth.) служить в качестве (кого-л., чего-л.)
~ for годиться (для чего-л.) ~ for служить (в качестве чего-л.) ;
the bundle served him for a pillow сверток служил ему подушкой
to ~ in the ranks служить рядовым;
to serve (under smb.) служить под начальством (кого-л.)
it will ~ этого будет достаточно;
as occassion serves когда представляется случай;
to serve no purpose никуда не годиться
~ юр. вручать (повестку кому-л., on) ;
to serve notice формально, официально извещать
~ on a jury быть членом жюри присяжных
~ отбывать срок (службы, наказания и т. п.) ;
to serve one’s apprenticeship (или time) проходить курс ученичества
~ служить;
быть полезным;
to serve one’s country служить своей родине;
to serve two masters быть слугой двух господ
~ out разг. отплатить;
serve round обносить кругом (блюда) ;
serve with подавать;
снабжать ~ out раздавать, распределять
~ out разг. отплатить;
serve round обносить кругом (блюда) ;
serve with подавать;
снабжать
~ служить;
быть полезным;
to serve one’s country служить своей родине;
to serve two masters быть слугой двух господ
~ out разг. отплатить;
serve round обносить кругом (блюда) ;
serve with подавать;
снабжать
this busline serves a large district эта автобусная линия обслуживает большой район;
to serve a town with water снабжать город водой

Полезное

Смотреть что такое «serve» в других словарях:

Serve — Serve, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Served}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Serving}.] [OE. serven, servien, OF. & F. servir, fr. L. servire; akin to servus a servant or slave, servare to protect, preserve, observe; cf. Zend har to protect, haurva protecting. Cf.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
serve — → serf ● serf, serve adjectif (latin servus, esclave) Relatif à l état des serfs : Des hommes de condition serve. Littéraire. Qui fait preuve d une soumission complète à l égard d autrui. ● serf, serve (homonymes) adjectif (latin servus, esclave) … Encyclopédie Universelle
serve — [sɜːv ǁ sɜːrv] verb 1. [transitive] COMMERCE to supply customers with a particular product or service or with something they need: • The firm plans to open a London office to serve clients with investments and businesses in Europe. • JAL Group… … Financial and business terms
serve — [sʉrv] vt. served, serving [ME serven < OFr servir < L servire, to serve < servus, servant, slave: see SERF] 1. to work for as a servant 2. a) to do services or duties for; give service to; aid; assist; help b) to give obedience and… … English World dictionary
serve — vt served, serv·ing 1: to deliver, publish, or execute (notice or process) as required by law no notice of any such request was ever served on the husband National Law Journal 2: to make legal service upon (the person named in a process): inform… … Law dictionary
serve — late 12c., to render habitual obedience to, from O.Fr. servir to serve, from L. servire to serve, originally be a slave, related to servus slave, perhaps from an Etruscan word (Cf. Etruscan proper names Servi, Serve). Meaning to attend to (a… … Etymology dictionary
Serve — Serve, v. i. 1. To be a servant or a slave; to be employed in labor or other business for another; to be in subjection or bondage; to render menial service. [1913 Webster] The Lord shall give thee rest . . . from the hard bondage wherein thou… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
serve — ► VERB 1) perform duties or services for. 2) be employed as a member of the armed forces. 3) spend (a period) in office, in an apprenticeship, or in prison. 4) present food or drink to. 5) attend to (a customer in a shop). 6) be of use in… … English terms dictionary
serve — [v1] aid, help; supply arrange, assist, attend to, be of assistance, be of use, care for, deal, deliver, dish up*, distribute, do for, give, handle, hit, minister to, nurse, oblige, play, present, provide, provision, set out, succor, wait on,… … New thesaurus
Serve — may refer to: * Serve (tennis) * Secure Electronic Registration and Voting Experiment * Providing a non material good, as in the work of a servant * Supplying customers with food and drink, as in the work of a food server * Delivering a legal or… … Wikipedia
serve up — (something) to offer something. The TV miniseries will be serving up five hour long programs. Hitchcock served up a pitch that Perez hit over the fence for a home run. Filmgoers demand realism, and Lee serves it up without flash or tricks in his… … New idioms dictionary

Источник

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serve

(sûrv)

v. served, serv·ing, serves

v.tr.

1. To work for (someone) as a servant: The steward serves the king.

a. To prepare and offer (food, for example): serve tea.

b. To place food before (someone); wait on: served the guests a wonderful dinner.

a. To provide goods and services for (customers): a hotel that has served tourists at the same location for 30 years.

b. To supply (goods or services) to customers. See Usage Note at service.

4. To assist the celebrant during (Mass).

a. To meet the requirements of; suffice for: This will serve the purpose. The tent served us well in the storm.

b. To be of assistance to or promote the interests of; aid: «Both major parties today seek to serve the national interest» (John F. Kennedy).

a. To work through or complete (a period of service): served four terms in Congress.

b. To be in prison for (a period or term): served 10 years for armed robbery.

c. Sports To be removed from play for a specified period because of (a penalty).

7. To fight or undergo military service for: served the country for five years in the navy.

8. To give homage and obedience to: served God.

9. To act toward (another) in a specified way: She has served me ill.

10. To copulate with; service. Used of male animals.

11. Law

a. To deliver or present (a process of the court, such as a summons or court order) in a manner prescribed by law to a person who is legally entitled to receive it or legally required to obey it.

b. To present such a process to (someone).

12. Sports To put (a ball or shuttlecock) in play, as in tennis, badminton, or jai alai.

13. To bind or whip (a rope) with fine cord or wire.

v.intr.

1. To be employed as a servant.

2. To do a term of duty: serve in the US Air Force; serve on a jury.

3. To act in a particular capacity: serve as a clerk.

4. To be of service or use; function: Let this incident serve as a reminder to future generations.

5. To meet requirements or needs; satisfy: a device that will serve well.

6. To wait on tables: serve at luncheon.

7. Sports To hit a ball or shuttlecock as a way of starting play in court games.

8. To assist the celebrant during Mass.

n. Sports

The act or right of serving in many court games.

Phrasal Verb:

serve up Baseball

To pitch (a ball) over the middle of home plate, where it is likely to be hit hard.

Idiom:

serve (someone) right

To be deserved under the circumstances: Punish him; it will serve him right for what he has done to you.

[Middle English serven, from Old French servir, from Latin servīre, from servus, slave.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

serve

(sɜːv)

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. (tr) 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. (sometimes foll by: up) to present (food, drink, etc) in a specified manner: cauliflower served with cheese sauce.

7. (tr) to provide with a regular supply of

8. (tr) to work actively for: to serve the government.

9. (tr) to pay homage to: to serve God.

10. to answer the requirements of; suit: this will serve my purpose.

11. (intr; 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. (intr) (of weather, conditions, etc) to be favourable or suitable

14. (Zoology) (tr) Also: service (of a male animal) to copulate with (a female animal)

15. (General Sporting Terms) sport to put (the ball) into play

16. (Roman Catholic Church) (intr) RC Church to act as server at Mass or other services

17. (Law) (tr) to deliver (a legal document, esp a writ or summons) to (a person)

18. (General Engineering) to provide (a machine, etc) with an impulse or signal for control purposes or with a continuous supply of fuel, working material, etc

19. (Nautical Terms) (tr) nautical to bind (a rope, spar, etc) with wire or fine cord to protect it from chafing, etc. See also seize⁸

20. serve a person right informal to pay a person back, esp for wrongful or foolish treatment or behaviour

21. (General Sporting Terms) sport short for service¹¹⁷

22. (Cookery) Austral a portion or helping of food or drink

[C13: from Old French servir, from Latin servīre, from servus a slave]

ˈservable, ˈserveable adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

serve

(sɜrv)

v. served, serv•ing,
n. v.i.

1. to act as a servant.

2. to wait on table, as a waiter.

3. to have a meal or refreshments available, as for patrons or guests.

4. to distribute a food or beverage, as a host or hostess.

5. to render assistance; help.

6. to go through a term of service as a soldier, 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 act as a server at mass.

v.t.

11. to be in the service of; work for.

12. to be useful or of service to; help.

13. to go through (a term of service, imprisonment, etc.).

14. to render active service, homage, or obedience to (God, a sovereign, commander, etc.).

15. to perform the duties of (a position, an office, etc.).

16. to answer the requirements of: This will serve our needs for now.

17. to contribute to; promote: to serve a cause.

18. to wait upon at table.

19. to carry and distribute (food or drink) to a patron or a specific place, as a waiter or waitress.

20. to act as a host or hostess in offering (a person) food or drink.

21. to act as a host or hostess in offering or distributing (food or drink) to another.

22. to provide with a regular or continuous supply of something.

23. (in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put (the ball or shuttlecock) in play.

24. to treat in a specified manner: That served him ill.

25. Law.

a. to make legal delivery of (a process or writ).

b. to present (a person) with a writ.

26. to gratify (wants, needs, etc.).

27. (of a male animal) to mate with; service.

28. Naut. to wrap (a rope) tightly with light cordage, keeping the turns as close together as possible.

29. the act, manner, or right of serving, as in tennis.

Idioms:

serve one right, to constitute someone’s fair and just punishment, as for improper or stupid behavior.

[1125–75; Middle English < Old French servir < Latin servīre, derivative of servus slave (compare serf)]

serve

— From Latin servire, «serve,» from servus, «slave.»

serve

Past participle: served
Gerund: serving

Imperative
serve
serve

Present
I serve
you serve
he/she/it serves
we serve
you serve
they serve

Preterite
I served
you served
he/she/it served
we served
you served
they served

Present Continuous
I am serving
you are serving
he/she/it is serving
we are serving
you are serving
they are serving

Present Perfect
I have served
you have served
he/she/it has served
we have served
you have served
they have served

Past Continuous
I was serving
you were serving
he/she/it was serving
we were serving
you were serving
they were serving

Past Perfect
I had served
you had served
he/she/it had served
we had served
you had served
they had served

Future
I will serve
you will serve
he/she/it will serve
we will serve
you will serve
they will serve

Future Perfect
I will have served
you will have served
he/she/it will have served
we will have served
you will have served
they will have served

Future Continuous
I will be serving
you will be serving
he/she/it will be serving
we will be serving
you will be serving
they will be serving

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been serving
you have been serving
he/she/it has been serving
we have been serving
you have been serving
they have been serving

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been serving
you will have been serving
he/she/it will have been serving
we will have been serving
you will have been serving
they will have been serving

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been serving
you had been serving
he/she/it had been serving
we had been serving
you had been serving
they had been serving

Conditional
I would serve
you would serve
he/she/it would serve
we would serve
you would serve
they would serve

Past Conditional
I would have served
you would have served
he/she/it would have served
we would have served
you would have served
they would have served

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	serve — (sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play; «his powerful serves won the game» service squash rackets, squash racquets, squash — a game played in an enclosed court by two or four players who strike the ball with long-handled rackets badminton — a game played on a court with light long-handled rackets used to volley a shuttlecock over a net lawn tennis, tennis — a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court tennis shot, tennis stroke — the act of hitting a tennis ball with a tennis racket ace — a serve that the receiver is unable to reach fault — (sports) a serve that is illegal (e.g., that lands outside the prescribed area); «he served too many double faults» net ball, let — a serve that strikes the net before falling into the receiver’s court; the ball must be served again
Verb	1.	serve — serve a purpose, role, or function; «The tree stump serves as a table»; «The female students served as a control group»; «This table would serve very well»; «His freedom served him well»; «The table functions as a desk» function service, serve — be used by; as of a utility; «The sewage plant served the neighboring communities»; «The garage served to shelter his horses» suffice, answer, do, serve — be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity; «A few words would answer»; «This car suits my purpose well»; «Will $100 do?»; «A ‘B’ grade doesn’t suffice to get me into medical school»; «Nothing else will serve» prelude — serve as a prelude or opening to act as — function as or act like; «This heap of stones will act as a barrier»
	2.	serve — do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function; «He served as head of the department for three years»; «She served in Congress for two terms» sit — serve in a specific professional capacity; «the priest sat for confession»; «she sat on the jury» staff — serve on the staff of; «The two men staff the reception desk» act — discharge one’s duties; «She acts as the chair»; «In what capacity are you acting?» rotate — perform a job or duty on a rotating basis; «Interns have to rotate for a few months» officiate, function — perform duties attached to a particular office or place or function; «His wife officiated as his private secretary» caddie, caddy — act as a caddie and carry clubs for a player do work, work — be employed; «Is your husband working again?»; «My wife never worked»; «Do you want to work after the age of 60?»; «She never did any work because she inherited a lot of money»; «She works as a waitress to put herself through college» serve — do military service; «She served in Vietnam»; «My sons never served, because they are short-sighted» represent — be a delegate or spokesperson for; represent somebody’s interest or be a proxy or substitute for, as of politicians and office holders representing their constituents, or of a tenant representing other tenants in a housing dispute; «I represent the silent majority»
	3.	serve — contribute or conduce to; «The scandal served to increase his popularity» effect, effectuate, set up — produce; «The scientists set up a shock wave» serve well, serve — promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to; «Art serves commerce»; «Their interests are served»; «The lake serves recreation»; «The President’s wisdom has served the country well» facilitate, help — be of use; «This will help to prevent accidents»
	4.	serve — be used by; as of a utility; «The sewage plant served the neighboring communities»; «The garage served to shelter his horses» service function, operate, work, run, go — perform as expected when applied; «The washing machine won’t go unless it’s plugged in»; «Does this old car still run well?»; «This old radio doesn’t work anymore» serve, function — serve a purpose, role, or function; «The tree stump serves as a table»; «The female students served as a control group»; «This table would serve very well»; «His freedom served him well»; «The table functions as a desk»
	5.	serve — help to some food; help with food or drink; «I served him three times, and after that he helped himself» help dish, dish up, serve up, dish out, serve — provide (usually but not necessarily food); «We serve meals for the homeless»; «She dished out the soup at 8 P.M.»; «The entertainers served up a lively show» cater, ply, provide, supply — give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance; «The hostess provided lunch for all the guests»
	6.	serve — provide (usually but not necessarily food); «We serve meals for the homeless»; «She dished out the soup at 8 P.M.»; «The entertainers served up a lively show» dish, dish up, serve up, dish out plank — cook and serve on a plank; «Planked vegetable»; «Planked shad» help, serve — help to some food; help with food or drink; «I served him three times, and after that he helped himself» cater, ply, provide, supply — give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance; «The hostess provided lunch for all the guests»
	7.	serve — devote (part of) one’s life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas; «She served the art of music»; «He served the church»; «serve the country» work — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity; «I will work hard to improve my grades»; «she worked hard for better living conditions for the poor» wait on, attend to, assist, attend, serve — work for or be a servant to; «May I serve you?»; «She attends the old lady in the wheelchair»; «Can you wait on our table, please?»; «Is a salesperson assisting you?»; «The minister served the King for many years»
	8.	serve — promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to; «Art serves commerce»; «Their interests are served»; «The lake serves recreation»; «The President’s wisdom has served the country well» serve well nurture, foster — help develop, help grow; «nurture his talents» serve — contribute or conduce to; «The scandal served to increase his popularity»
	9.	serve — spend time in prison or in a labor camp; «He did six years for embezzlement» do admit — serve as a means of entrance; «This ticket will admit one adult to the show» spend, pass — pass time in a specific way; «how are you spending your summer vacation?»
	10.	serve — work for or be a servant to; «May I serve you?»; «She attends the old lady in the wheelchair»; «Can you wait on our table, please?»; «Is a salesperson assisting you?»; «The minister served the King for many years» wait on, attend to, assist, attend valet — serve as a personal attendant to aid, assist, help — give help or assistance; be of service; «Everyone helped out during the earthquake»; «Can you help me carry this table?»; «She never helps around the house» serve — devote (part of) one’s life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas; «She served the art of music»; «He served the church»; «serve the country»
	11.	serve — deliver a warrant or summons to someone; «He was processed by the sheriff» swear out, process subpoena — serve or summon with a subpoena; «The witness and her records were subpoenaed» wash, rinse — clean with some chemical process deliver — bring to a destination, make a delivery; «our local super market delivers»
	12.	serve — be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity; «A few words would answer»; «This car suits my purpose well»; «Will $100 do?»; «A ‘B’ grade doesn’t suffice to get me into medical school»; «Nothing else will serve» suffice, answer, do bridge over, tide over, keep going — suffice for a period between two points; «This money will keep us going for another year» go a long way — suffice or be adequate for a while or to a certain extent serve, function — serve a purpose, role, or function; «The tree stump serves as a table»; «The female students served as a control group»; «This table would serve very well»; «His freedom served him well»; «The table functions as a desk» live up to, satisfy, fulfill, fulfil — meet the requirements or expectations of measure up, qualify — prove capable or fit; meet requirements go around — be sufficient; «There’s not enough to go around»
	13.	serve — do military service; «She served in Vietnam»; «My sons never served, because they are short-sighted» serve — do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function; «He served as head of the department for three years»; «She served in Congress for two terms» do work, work — be employed; «Is your husband working again?»; «My wife never worked»; «Do you want to work after the age of 60?»; «She never did any work because she inherited a lot of money»; «She works as a waitress to put herself through college»
	14.	serve — mate with; «male animals serve the females for breeding purposes» service stand — be available for stud services; «male domestic animals such as stallions serve selected females» copulate, mate, couple, pair — engage in sexual intercourse; «Birds mate in the Spring»
	15.	serve — put the ball into play; «It was Agassi’s turn to serve» court game — an athletic game played on a court move, go — have a turn; make one’s move in a game; «Can I go now?» ace — serve an ace against (someone)

serve

verb

3. be adequate, do, suffice, answer, suit, content, satisfy, be good enough, be acceptable, fill the bill (informal), answer the purpose This little book should serve.

5. be enough for, be sufficient for, be adequate for, provide enough for Garnish with fresh herbs. Serves 4.

7. deliver to, give to, present with, hand over to, cause to accept Police said they had been unable to serve a summons on him.

serve as something or someone act as, substitute for, function as, do the work of, do duty as She ushered me into the front room, which served as her office.

Quotations
«They also serve who only stand and wait» [John Milton Sonnet 16]

Proverbs
«If you would be well served, serve yourself»

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

serve

verb

2. To place food before (someone):

3. To spend or complete (time), as a prison term:

Informal: do.

4. To perform the duties of another:

5. To meet a need or requirement:

6. To be an advantage to:

Idiom: stand someone in good stead.

Translations

sloužitpodánípodávatpracovatobsluhovat

servtjeneserveservereafsone

palvellasyöttötarjoillatarjota

podatservissloužitslužiti

adogatbüntetését töltiszervaszolgál

bera fram, framreiîaduga, nÿtastgefa uppgegna hlutverki/skylduòjóna

サーブ仕える

서브섬기다

atliktiįrankis valgiui įdėti į lėkštępaduotiservasservuoti

apgādātapkalpotdienētizciest sodukalpot

odsedieť si

servisslužitistreči

servetjänauppvaktaserveraavtjäna

การเสิร์ฟลูกเทนนิสบริการ

cú phát bóngphục vụ

serve

[sɜːv]

A. VT

7. (Culin) (= be enough for) this recipe serves six → esta receta es (suficiente) para seis personas

8. (Tennis etc) to serve the ball → servir (la bola), sacar
he served 17 double faults → hizo 17 dobles faltas

serve out VT + ADV

1. (= complete) [+ term of office, sentence] → cumplir

2. (= dish up) [+ food] → servir

serve up VT + ADV

1. [+ food, drink] → servir

2. (fig) he served that up as an excuse → eso lo ofreció como excusa

Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

serve

[ˈsɜː^rv]

(= do work, duty for) [+ employer] → être au service de; [+ country, community, public] → servir

(in shop, bar, restaurant) [+ customer] → servir
She was busy serving a customer → Elle était occupée à servir un client.
are you being served? → est-ce qu’on s’occupe de vous?

(= put on table) [+ food, meal, drink] → servir (= give food to) [+ person] → servir
Dinner is served → Le dîner est servi.
to serve drinks → servir à boire
to serve sth with sth → servir qch avec qch
Serve the soup with croutons and a sprinkling of parsley → Servez ce potage avec des croûtons et une pincée de persil.
served with → servi(e) avec

(= be useful for) [+ interests, cause, objectives] → servir
to serve sb’s purpose → faire l’affaire de qn
It serves my purpose → Cela fait mon affaire.
I failed to see what purpose this could serve → Je ne voyais pas à quoi cela pouvait servir.
to serve sb as sth → servir à qn de qch
the table that served him as a desk → la table qui lui servait de bureau

it serves you right → c’est bien fait pour toi
It serves him right → C’est bien fait pour lui.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

serve

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

serve

[sɜːv]

2. vi

b. (be useful) to serve as/for/to do → servire da/per/per fare

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

serve

(səːv) verb

1. to work for a person etc eg as a servant. He served his master for forty years.

2. to distribute food etc or supply goods. She served the soup to the guests; Which shop assistant served you (with these goods)?

3. to be suitable for a purpose. This upturned bucket will serve as a seat.

4. to perform duties, eg as a member of the armed forces. He served (his country) as a soldier for twenty years; I served on the committee for five years.

5. to undergo (a prison sentence). He served (a sentence of) six years for armed robbery.

6. in tennis and similar games, to start the play by throwing up the ball etc and hitting it. He served the ball into the net; Is it your turn to serve?

noun

act of serving (a ball).

ˈserver noun

1. (usually in plural) a utensil used in serving food. salad servers.

2. a person who serves (a ball).

ˈserving noun

a portion of food served. I had two servings of pie.

it serves you etc right

you etc deserve your misfortune etc. He has done no work so it will serve him right if he fails his exam.

serve an apprenticeship

to spend a (fixed) period of time as an apprentice.

serve out

to distribute to each of a number of people. She served out the pudding.

serve up

to start serving (a meal).

serve

→ ضَرْبةٌ مَبْدَئِيَّة, يَخْدِمُ podání, sloužit serv, tjene Aufschlag, dienen σερβίρισμα, υπηρετώ servicio, servir palvella, syöttö service, servir servis, služiti servire, servizio サーブ, 仕える 서브, 섬기다 dienen, serve serve, servere obsłużyć, serwis serviço, servir обслуживать, подача serve, tjäna การเสิร์ฟลูกเทนนิส, บริการ hizmet etmek, servis atmak cú phát bóng, phục vụ 发球, 服务

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

Do you serve food here?

Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

Источник

подача, служить, подавать, обслуживать, работать

существительное ↓

- подача (мяча) (теннис, бадминтон)

good [bad] serve — хорошая [плохая] подача
whose serve is it? — чья подача?

глагол ↓

- служить, быть слугой

to serve a master — служить хозяину
to serve two masters — быть слугой двух господ
to serve one’s country — служить своей родине
his eyes didn’t seem to serve him — глаза, казалось, отказывались ему служить
if my memory serves me right — если мне память не изменяет

- работать, состоять на службе, быть служащим (тж. serve out)

to serve in an office [in a shop, at a hairdresser’s] — служить в конторе [работать в магазине, в парикмахерской]
to serve on a committee [on a board] — быть членом комитета [правления]
to serve on a jury — юр. исполнять обязанности присяжного заседателя
to serve as a secretary [as a cook, as a waiter, as a judge] — работать секретарём [поваром, официантом, судьёй]
to be willing to serve at a small salary — соглашаться работать за небольшое жалованье /вознаграждение/

- служить в армии, быть военным

- обслуживать

to serve badly [fast, slowly, deftly] — плохо [быстро, медленно, ловко] обслуживать
this railway line serves a large district — эта железнодорожная линия обслуживает обширный район
all floors are served by elevator — лифт обслуживает все этажи
the doctor serves a large area — врач обслуживает большой район

- снабжать

to serve a town [a house] with water [with gas, with electricity] — снабжать город [дом] водой [газом, электричеством]
to serve a gun with ammunition — обеспечивать орудие боеприпасами

ещё 14 вариантов

Мои примеры

Словосочетания

a tennis serve that was over the line — теннисная подача, которая пришлась дальше, чем нужно
a tennis player with a booming serve — теннисист с пушечной подачей
to serve time in a camp — отбывать срок в лагере
to serve (smb.) as an interpreter — работать (у кого-л.) переводчиком
to serve as an interrogator — служить следователем
to serve as an introduction — служить вступлением
to serve time in jail — отсидеть в тюрьме
to serve / sail before the mast — служить простым матросом
to serve a meal — подавать еду
member to serve in Parliament — кандидат в члены парламента
to serve as a model — служить образцом
ready-to-serve food — кулинарные изделия

Примеры с переводом

Serve the meat with rice or noodles.

Подавайте мясо с рисом или лапшой.

This bus line serves a large district.

Эта автобусная линия обслуживает большой район.

This table would serve very well.

Этот столик ещё послужит.

May I serve you?

Разрешите вас обслужить? / Можно за вами поухаживать?

The female students served as a control group.

Студентки послужили в качестве контрольной группы.

I shall do my utmost to serve her.

Я сделаю всё, что в моих силах, чтобы быть ей полезным.

The bundle served him for a pillow.

Этот свёрток служил ему подушкой.

ещё 23 примера свернуть

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

…the relaxed zoning regulations should serve as a stimulant for development in the area…

Novices serve time as scullery serfs as they work toward the privilege of trailing a pastry chef …

…in a quandary about what to serve for the wedding toast since his future in-laws are teetotalers…

Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке ☰, напротив примера.

Фразовые глаголы

Возможные однокоренные слова

disserve — навредить, напортить, оказывать плохую услугу
reserve — резерв, заповедник, запас, резервный, запасной, резервировать
servant — слуга, служащий, служитель, прислуга, служащий
serving — порция, подача, отбывание, вручение, доза, служащий для подачи
server — сервер, поднос, спецпроцессор, игрок, подающий мяч
servage — оброк
serval — сервал, кустарниковая кошка, степной зверь

Формы слова

verb
I/you/we/they: serve
he/she/it: serves
ing ф. (present participle): serving
2-я ф. (past tense): served
3-я ф. (past participle): served

noun
ед. ч.(singular): serve
мн. ч.(plural): serves

Источник

English[edit]

A jump serve in a game of volleyball

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English serven, from Old French servir, from Latin serviō (“be a slave; serve”), from Latin servus (“slave; servant”), which perhaps derives from Etruscan (compare Etruscan proper names 𐌔𐌄𐌓𐌅𐌉 (servi), 𐌔𐌄𐌓𐌅𐌄 (serve)), or from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“watch over, protect”).^[1]

Pronunciation[edit]

(UK) IPA^(key): /sɜːv/
(US) IPA^(key): /sɝv/
(dialectal, obsolete) IPA^(key): /sɑː(ɹ)v/^[2]
Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)v

Noun[edit]

serve (plural serves)

(sports) An act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games.

Whose serve is it?
- 1961 January 13, Marshall Smith, From Waif to a Winner, the Clown of the Courts, Life, page 99,
  
  He had no power serve of his own, no backhand, no volley, no lob, no idea of pace or tactics.
- 1996, Steve Boga, Badminton, page viii,
  
  The first serve of the game is from the right half court to the half diagonally opposite.
- 2009, Mihnea Moldoveanu, Roger L. Martin, Diaminds: Decoding the Mental Habits of Successful Thinkers, page 31,
  
  Against a serve of the calibre of McEnroe′s, an opponent will try to anticipate the ball′s direction and lean either to the left or to the right, depending on where he feels the server will go.
(chiefly Australia) A portion of food or drink, a serving.
- 2004, Susanna Holt, Fitness Food: The Essential Guide to Eating Well and Performing Better, Murdoch Books Australia, page 23,
  
  The night before your event, base your evening meal on high-carbohydrate foods with a small serve of lean protein.
- 2007, Verity Campbell, Turkey, Lonely Planet, page 142,
  
  Come here for a cappuccino that could hold its own on Via Veneto in Rome (€2) and a serve of their crunchy fresh cheese börek.
- 2008, Michael E. Cichorski, Maximum Asthma Control: The Revolutionary 3-Step Anti Asthma Program, page 100,
  
  Reintroduce protein; add a small serve of salmon, tuna or sardines every second day (tinned variety or fresh).
- 2011, Great Britain Parliament House of Commons Health Committee, Alcohol: First Report of Session 2009-10, Volume 2, page 189,
  
  Smirnoff Appleback was a finished drink, comprising a 50ml serve of Smirnoff, with ice and lemonade or ginger ale and equating to 1.9 units.
- 2012, Lesley Campbell, Alan L. Rubin, Type 2 Diabetes For Dummies, Australian Edition, page 117,
  
  One serve of carbohydrates is approximately equal to a slice of bread, a piece of fruit, third of a cup of cooked rice, half a cup of grains, cereals, starchy vegetables or cooked pasta, 200 grams of plain yoghurt, or 300 millilitres of milk.
(gay slang and African-American Vernacular) An impressive presentation (especially of a person’s appearance).

That white eyeliner is such a serve.
- 2019, Mathew Rodriguez, “The Official Ranking of Every Track on Britney Spears’ Debut Album”, in Out.com‎^[1]:
  
  And, of course, there’s the video, which didn’t need to be such a serve since the song slapped so hard. But, it’s still iconic years later.
- 2021, Chris Murphy, “The Real Housewives of Atlanta Recap: Allow Me To ReintroDrewce Myself”, in Vulture‎^[2]:
  
  Taking a private jet in the middle of a pandemic is not the serve you think it is KenToya! What is a serve is the hazmat jumpsuit Marlo wears for the sprinter. Fashion x Covid Safety realness.

Synonyms[edit]

(act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play): service
(portion of food): See serving

Antonyms[edit]

(sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play): receive

Translations[edit]

sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play

Bulgarian: сервис m (servis)
Catalan: servei (ca) m, sacada f
Chinese:

Mandarin: 發球／发球 (zh) (fāqiú)
Faroese: serva f
Finnish: syöttö (fi)
French: service (fr) m
Galician: saque, servicio
German: Angabe (de) f
Hungarian: szerva (hu), adogatás (hu)
Italian: servizio (it) m
Persian: سرویس‎ (fa) (servis)
Polish: zagrywka (pl) f, serw m, serwis (pl) m
Portuguese: saque (pt) m
Russian: пода́ча (ru) f (podáča)
Slovene: servis m
Spanish: servicio (es) m
Swedish: serve (sv)
Ukrainian: пода́ча (podáča)
Welsh: serfiad m

Verb[edit]

serve (third-person singular simple present serves, present participle serving, simple past and past participle served)

(personal) To provide a service (or, by extension, a product, especially food or drink).
1. (transitive) To be a formal servant for (a god or deity); to worship in an official capacity. [from 12^thc.]
  - 1889, Philip Schaff, translating St. Chrysostom, Homilies, XIV:
    
    And yet this is not the office of a Priest, but of Him whom the Priest should serve.
2. (transitive) To be a servant for; to work for, to be employed by. [from 13^thc.]
  - 1716, Joseph Addison, The Drummer
    
    And, truly, Mrs Abigail, I must needs say, I served my master contentedly while he was living, but I will serve no man living (that is, no man that is not living) without double wages.
  - 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:
    
    […] his lordship was out of humour. That was the way Chollacombe described as knaggy an old gager as ever Charles had had the ill-fortune to serve.
  - 1979, Bob Dylan, Gotta Serve Somebody:
    
    You may be a businessman or some high-degree thief, / They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief / But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.
3. (transitive) To wait upon (someone) at table; to set food and drink in front of, to help (someone) to food, meals etc. [from 13^thc.]
  - 2007, Larry McMurty, When the Light Goes
    
    That night Annie served him grilled halibut and English peas, plus tomatoes, of course, and a salad.
4. (intransitive) To be a servant or worker; to perform the duties of a servant or employee; to render service. [from 14^thc.]
  - 1673, John Milton, On His Blindness:
    
    They also serve who only stand and wait.
5. (transitive) To set down (food or drink) on the table to be eaten; to bring (food, drink) to a person. [from 15^thc.]
  - 2009, Dominic A Pacyga, Chicago: A Biography, p.195:
    
    About twenty minutes after waiters served the soup, a guest got up and left.
(transitive, archaic) To treat (someone) in a given manner. [from 13^thc.]
- 1593, anonymous, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], Act I:
  
  Herein thou haſt done good ſeruice to thy country:
  VVere all inhumaine ſlaues ſo ſerued as he,
  England would be ciuill, and from all ſuch dealings free.
- 1924, H. Rider Haggard, Belshazzar
  
  I mock them all who have served me ill of late and chiefly this cheat of Judah, whose temple we have plundered and whose golden vessels are my wash-pots.
(transitive, archaic) To be suitor to; to be the lover of. [from 14^thc.]
To be effective.
1. (transitive) To be useful to; to meet the needs of. [from 14^thc.]
  - 2010 October 12, Lloyd Marcus, The Guardian
    
    So, while the sycophantic liberal media calls any and all opposition to Obama racist, they give Obama carte blanche to exploit his race whenever it serves his purpose.
2. (intransitive) To have a given use or purpose; to function for something or to do something. [from 14^thc.]
  - 2011 January 27, «Borgata bust», The Economist
    
    The bust also served to remind the public that the Mafia is not harmless.
  - 2012 March-April, Terrence J. Sejnowski, “Well-connected Brains”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 171:
    
    Creating a complete map of the human connectome would therefore be a monumental milestone but not the end of the journey to understanding how our brains work. The achievement will transform neuroscience and serve as the starting point for asking questions we could not otherwise have answered, […].
3. (intransitive) To usefully take the place as, instead of something else. [from 14^thc.]
  - 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
    
    Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. […]. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.
  - 2010 April 20, «Not up in the air», The Economist
    
    Maybe the volcanic eruption will serve as a wake-up call to such companies that they need to modernise their risk management.
(transitive, law) To deliver a document.
1. To officially deliver (a legal notice, summons etc.). [from 15^thc.]
  - 2008 April, Pamela Colloff, The Fire That Time, Texas Monthly; Austin: Emmis Publishing, p.158:
    
    On the morning of February 28, 1993, ATF agents gathered at a staging area near Waco and prepared to serve a search warrant on the Branch Davidians’ residence.
2. To make legal service upon (a person named in a writ, summons, etc.)
  
  to serve a witness with a subpoena
(transitive, intransitive, sports) To lead off with the first delivery over the net in tennis, volleyball, ping pong, badminton etc. [from 16^thc.]
- 2007, Rob Antoun, Women’s Tennis Tactics, p.2:
  
  In women’s tennis the need to serve more effectively has become greater in recent years because the game is being played more aggressively, and rallies are becoming shorter as a result.
(transitive) To copulate with (of male animals); to cover. [from 16^thc.]
- 1996, Puck Bonnier et al., Dairy Cattle Husbandry, Agromisa Foundation 2004
  
  Conception means that a cow is served by a bull and that she becomes pregnant.
(intransitive) To be in military service. [from 16^thc.]
- 2007 May 16, Peter Walker, The Guardian
  
  Some reports suggested he would quit the army if he was not allowed to serve abroad in a war zone.
(transitive, military) To work, to operate (a weapon). [from 18^thc.]
- 1864, Horace Greeley, The American Conflict
  
  John T. Greble, of the 2d regular artillery, was likewise killed instantly by a ball through the head, while serving his gun in the face of the foe.
(transitive) To work through (a given period of time in prison, a sentence). [from 19^thc.]
- 2010 December 1, Tania Branigan, The Guardian
  
  The Guangzhou Daily reported that Shi Chunlong, 20, who organised the incident, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Hou Bin, who pulled out of the attack after helping to plan it, will serve 12 years.
(nautical) To wind spun yarn etc. tightly around (a rope or cable, etc.) so as to protect it from chafing or from the weather.
(transitive) To perform (a public obligation).

I’ve received a summons for jury duty. It says I serve one day or one trial.

She served the office of mayor five years ago.
(transitive, intransitive, slang, drugs) To provide crack cocaine (to), usually by selling, dealing, or distributing.
- 2006, Stacey Green, Inside…the Mind of a Man!, page 18:
  
  Once I began selling crack, money was no issue. I would be out 2-3 days at a time, up for 24 hours a day. It was a full time job, serving crack fiends.
- 2010, Keith Norton, Crack Spell:
  
  Tim told her that she could make a little money on the side by serving crack-cocaine.
- 2012, Diana Prince, Secret Lives: Real Lives in the World’S Oldest Profession:
  
  They’d serve cocaine, and you’d sit there, and base this cocaine. And you’d have an ounce gone in 24 hours.
- 2013, Seth Ferranti, The Supreme Team: The Birth of Crack and Hip-Hop, Prince’s Reign of Terror and the Supreme/50 Cent Beef Exposed:
  
  When crews like the Supreme Team saw the effect of the powerful new drug on users, they streamlined their own operation to serve crack only.
(gay slang and African-American Vernacular) To present an attractive personal appearance.
1. (intransitive) To present an attractive personal appearance.
  - 2017, John Boone, “Inside Marvel Studios: Secrets About ‘Black Panther,’ ‘Captain Marvel,’ ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ & More!”, in ET Online‎^[3]:
    
    […] Angela Bassett, serving for the gods in regal headdresses and flowing white dreadlocks as T’Challa’s mother, […]
2. (transitive) To attractively display something (especially a body part) as part of one’s personal appearance.
  - 2016, Delores Shante, “Tiffany Foxx’s Black Friday”, in The St. Louis American‎^[4]:
    
    I feel the same way about Ashley Monroe too, who was her usual sweet self as she came through serving cleavage to the max.
  - 2019, Alyssa Morin, “Kylie Jenner and Her BFF Stassie Pose in Matching Itty-Bitty Bikinis”, in E! Online‎^[5]:
    
    Wearing an itty-bitty black bikini and mirror-like sunnies, she’s serving face.
3. (transitive) To evoke something (especially a person) with one’s personal appearance.
  - 2019, Emma Kelly, “Jennifer Aniston is ‘dating again’ and ‘staying in touch’ with ex-husband Brad Pitt”, in Metro UK‎^[6]:
    
    Serving Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! realness, and we’re into it.
  - 2021, Bella Gerard, “These Paris Fashion Week SS21 Couture Looks Give Me So Much Serotonin”, in Stylecaster‎^[7]:
    
    Dior’s collection was serving major Bridgerton vibes, and I am definitely taking notes.

Synonyms[edit]

(to be a servant to): attend, bestand, wait on; See also Thesaurus:serve

Derived terms[edit]

Terms derived from serve (verb)

[edit]

Descendants[edit]

Thai: เสิร์ฟ (sə̀əp)

Translations[edit]

to work for

Albanian: shërbej (sq)
Arabic: خَدَمَ‎ (ḵadama)

Egyptian Arabic: خدم‎ (ḵadam)
Armenian: ծառայել (hy) (caṙayel)
Belarusian: служы́ць impf (služýcʹ), паслужы́ць pf (paslužýcʹ)
Bulgarian: слу́жа (bg) impf (slúža)
Catalan: servir (ca)
Chinese:

Mandarin: 服務／服务 (zh) (fúwù)
Cimbrian: diinan
Czech: sloužit (cs) impf
Danish: tjene
Dutch: dienen (nl)
Finnish: palvella (fi)
French: servir (fr)
Friulian: servî
Galician: servir (gl)
German: dienen (de)
Gothic: 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌻𐌺𐌹𐌽𐍉𐌽 (skalkinōn)
Greek: υπηρετώ (el) (ypiretó)

Ancient: λατρεύω (latreúō)
Haitian Creole: sèvi
Hindi: खिलाना (hi) (khilānā)
Italian: servire (it), essere in forza, operare (it), lavorare per
Japanese: 務める (ja) (つとめる, tsutomeru), 勤務する (ja) (きんむする, kinmu suru), 服務する (ja) (ふくむする, fukumu suru)
Korean: 근무하다 (ko) (geunmuhada), 복무하다 (ko) (bongmuhada)
Kurdish:

Central Kurdish: خزمەت کردن‎ (xizmet kirdin)

Northern Kurdish: xizmet kirin (ku)
Latin: serviō
Luxembourgish: déngen
Macedonian: служи impf (služi)
Malayalam: സേവിക്കുക (ml) (sēvikkuka)
Mauritian Creole: servi
Norwegian: tjene (no)
Occitan: servir (oc)
Old Church Slavonic:

Cyrillic: слѹжити impf (služiti)
Old East Slavic: служити impf (služiti)
Old English: þeġnian
Oromo: tajaajiluu
Polish: służyć (pl) impf
Portuguese: servir (pt)
Romanian: servi (ro)
Romansch: servir, survir, sarvir, sarveir
Russian: служи́ть (ru) impf (služítʹ), послужи́ть (ru) pf (poslužítʹ), рабо́тать (ru) impf (rabótatʹ), порабо́тать (ru) (porabótatʹ)
Sardinian: selvire, serbire, serbiri, servire, serviri
Serbo-Croatian:

Cyrillic: слу́жити impf

Roman: slúžiti (sh) impf
Sicilian: sèrviri (scn), sirviri (scn), sièrviri (scn)
Slovak: slúžiť impf
Slovene: služiti (sl) impf
Sorbian:

Lower Sorbian: słužyś impf

Upper Sorbian: słužić impf
Spanish: servir (es)
Swedish: serva (sv)
Thai: บริการ (th) (bɔɔ-rí-gaan)
Ukrainian: служи́ти impf (služýty)
Venetian: servir
Vietnamese: phục vụ (vi)
Yiddish: דינען‎ (dinen)

religion: to obey and worship

Bulgarian: служа (bg) (služa)
Finnish: palvella (fi)
French: servir (fr)
Gothic: 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌻𐌺𐌹𐌽𐍉𐌽 (skalkinōn)
Greek:

Ancient: λατρεύω (latreúō)
Haitian Creole: sèvi
Italian: venerare (it), idolatrare (it), obbedire (it)
Latin: oboedio (la)
Ngazidja Comorian: urumishiha
Russian: служи́ть (ru) impf (služítʹ), послужи́ть (ru) (poslužítʹ)
Spanish: servir (es)
Ukrainian: служи́ти (služýty)
Yiddish: דינען‎ (dinen)

to be subordinate to

Armenian: ծառայել (hy) (caṙayel)
Bulgarian: подчинен съм (podčinen sǎm)
Danish: tjene
Finnish: avustaa (fi)
Gothic: 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌻𐌺𐌹𐌽𐍉𐌽 (skalkinōn)
Italian: servire (it)
Portuguese: servir (pt)
Russian: служи́ть (ru) impf (služítʹ), послужи́ть (ru) pf (poslužítʹ), рабо́тать (ru) impf (rabótatʹ), порабо́тать (ru) (porabótatʹ)
Spanish: servir (es)
Swedish: tjäna (sv)

to attend, supply the wants of

Bulgarian: обслужвам (bg) (obslužvam)
Dutch: serveren (nl)
Esperanto: servi (eo)
Finnish: tarjoilla (fi)
Interlingua: servir
Italian: attendere (it), badare (it), occuparsi (it)
Latin: prosum (la), serviō
Portuguese: servir (pt)
Romanian: servi (ro)
Russian: обслу́живать (ru) impf (obslúživatʹ), обслужи́ть (ru) pf (obslužítʹ)
Spanish: servir (es)
Ukrainian: обслуго́вувати impf (obsluhóvuvaty)

to bring food to

Arabic: قَدَّمَ‎ (ar) (qaddama)
Assamese:

Central: বাঢ়া (barha)

Eastern: বঢ়া (borha)
Belarusian: (around) абно́сіць impf (abnósicʹ), абне́сці pf (abnjésci)
Bulgarian: сервирам (bg) (serviram)
Chinese:

Mandarin: 上菜 (zh) (shàngcài)
Czech: podávat (cs), servírovat
Dutch: opdienen (nl), bedienen (nl), serveren (nl)
Finnish: tarjoilla (fi), tarjota (fi)
French: servir (fr)
German: servieren (de)
Greek:

Ancient: διακονέω (diakonéō)
Hindi: खिलाना (hi) (khilānā)
Italian: servire (it)
Japanese: 出す (ja) (dasu), のぼせる (noboseru)
Khmer: បម្រើ (km) (bɑmraə)
Korean: 제공하다 (ko) (jegonghada)
Lao: please add this translation if you can
Luxembourgish: zerwéieren
Maori: tuari
Ngazidja Comorian: upvahua
Norwegian: servere (no)
Old English: þeġnian
Persian: سرو کردن‎ (serv kardan)
Polish: serwować (pl), podawać (pl)
Portuguese: servir (pt)
Quechua: qaray
Russian: подава́ть (ru) impf (podavátʹ), пода́ть (ru) pf (podátʹ)
Spanish: servir (es)
Swedish: servera (sv)
Thai: please add this translation if you can
Ukrainian: подава́ти (podaváty), обслуго́вувати (obsluhóvuvaty)
Vietnamese: please add this translation if you can

to set down on a table to be eaten or drunk

Latin: dapino

to perform duties

Bulgarian: служа (bg) (služa)
Finnish: palvella (fi)
Italian: ottemperare (it), adempiere (it)
Russian: служи́ть (ru) impf (služítʹ), послужи́ть (ru) pf (poslužítʹ)
Spanish: desempeñar (es), servir (es), fungir (es) (formal)
Swedish: tjäna (sv)

military: to work or operate

to make legal service on (someone)

to spend time (of punishment)

sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)

to be a servant

Arabic: خَدَمَ‎ (ḵadama)
Bulgarian: слуга съм (sluga sǎm)
Finnish: palvella (fi)
French: servir (fr)
German: dienen (de)
Italian: servire (it)
Latin: servio
Russian: служи́ть (ru) impf (služítʹ), послужи́ть (ru) pf (poslužítʹ)
Spanish: sevir
Swahili: kutumika
Swedish: tjäna (sv)

to be in service

Arabic: خَدَمَ‎ (ḵadama)
Finnish: palvella (fi)
Latin: servio
Malayalam: സേവിക്കുക (ml) (sēvikkuka)
Russian: служи́ть (ru) impf (služítʹ), послужи́ть (ru) pf (poslužítʹ)

to be of use

Finnish: toimia (fi)
French: servir (fr)
Russian: служи́ть (ru) impf (služítʹ), послужи́ть (ru) pf (poslužítʹ)
Spanish: servir (es), funcionar (es)
Swedish: tjäna (sv), fungera (sv)

References[edit]

^ Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “serve”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
^ Hall, Joseph Sargent (March 2, 1942), “1. The Vowel Sounds of Stressed Syllables”, in The Phonetics of Great Smoky Mountain Speech (American Speech: Reprints and Monographs; 4), New York: King’s Crown Press, →DOI, →ISBN, § 12, page 42.

Anagrams[edit]

‘verse, -verse, reves, sever, veers, verse

Czech[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

IPA^(key): [ˈsɛrvɛ]

Verb[edit]

serve

third-person singular future of servat

French[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

IPA^(key): /sɛʁv/

Verb[edit]

serve

first/third-person singular present subjunctive of servir

Anagrams[edit]

resve, rêves, rêvés, verse, versé

Italian[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Adjective[edit]

serve f pl

feminine plural of servo

Noun[edit]

serve f pl

plural of serva

Etymology 2[edit]

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb[edit]

serve

third-person singular present indicative of servire

Latin[edit]

Noun[edit]

serve m

vocative singular of servus

Norwegian Nynorsk[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

(noun): sørv
(verb): serva (a infinitive); sørva, sørve

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English serve. Doublet of servere. Both are ultimately from Latin serviō.

Verb[edit]

serve (present tense servar, past tense serva, past participle serva, passive infinitive servast, present participle servande, imperative serve/serv)

(transitive, intransitive, sports) to serve (To lead off with the first delivery over the net in tennis, volleyball, ping pong, badminton etc.)

Noun[edit]

serve m (definite singular serven, indefinite plural servar, definite plural servane)

(sports) a serve

References[edit]

“serve” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Anagrams[edit]

verse

Portuguese[edit]

Verb[edit]

serve

inflection of servir:
1. third-person singular present indicative
2. second-person singular imperative

Swedish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English serve.

Pronunciation[edit]

IPA^(key): /ˈsɵrv/

Noun[edit]

serve c

(sports) serve

Declension[edit]

Declension of serve
	Singular	Plural
Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	serve	serven	servar	servarna
Genitive	serves	servens	servars	servarnas

[edit]

serva (“to serve”)

Источник

serve sə:v

подача (мяча) (теннис, бадминтон)
good serve ― хорошая подача

whose serve is it? ― чья подача?
служить, быть слугой
to serve a master ― служить хозяину

to serve two masters ― быть слугой двух господ

to serve one’s country ― служить своей родине

his eyes didn’t seem to serve him ― глаза, казалось,
отказывались ему служить

if my memory serves me right ― если мне память не изменяет
работать, состоять на службе, быть служащим (тж. serve out)
to serve in an office ― служить в конторе

to serve on a committee ― быть членом комитета

to serve on a jury ― юр. исполнять обязанности присяжного
заседателя

to serve as a secretary ― работать серктарем

to be willing to serve at a small salary ― соглашаться работать
за небольшое жалование (вознаграждение)
служить в армии, быть военным
to serve in the army ― служить в армии

to serve in the ranks ― служить рядовым

to serve abroad ― служить в войсках, находящихся за границей

to serve in the war ― быть участником войны

to have served in twenty campaigns ― быть ветераном двадцати
походов

to serve under smb. (under smb.’s command) ― служить под
чьим-л. началом (командованием)

he served under Admiral N ― он служил при адмирале Н.

he’s not the sort of man I’d like to serve under ― он не
такой человек, которого я бы хотел иметь своим начальником
(командиром)
обслуживать
to serve badly ― плохо обслуживать

this railway line serves a large district ― эта железнодорожная
линия обслуживает обширный район

all floors are served by elevator ― лифт обслуживает все этажи

the doctor serves a large area ― врач обслуживает большой район
снабжать
to serve a town with water ― снабжать город водой

to serve a gun with ammunition ― обеспечивать орудие
боеприпасами
заниматься клиентами, покупателями, обслуживать
to serve customers ― обслуживать покупателей (клиентов)

are you being serveed? ― вами занимаются?, вас обслуживают?

I’m waiting to be served ― я жду, когда меня обслужат (когда
мной займутся)

to serve a customer with smth. ― отпускать покупателю что-л.
(часто serve out, serve up) подавать (на стол), разносить
(пищу, напитки); обслуживать

to serve at table ― подавать, обслуживать (в ресторане и т. п.)

to serve breakfast ― подавать завтрак

serve the coffee in the drawing-room ― подайте кофе в гостиной

dinner is served! ― обед подан!

to serve smth. hot ― подавать что-л. горячим

soup should be served up very hot ― суп следует подавать
очень горячим

to serve out fish for supper ― подавать на ужин рыбу

no wines were served at the dinner ― вина за обедом не подавали

to serve smth. to smb. ― подать что-л. кому-л.

ladies are served before men ― сначала подают дамам

I was served with tea and cake ― мне подали чай с пирогом

sometimes they serve (up) a good meal here ― здесь иногда
хорошо кормят

the dinner was well served up ― обед был хорошо сервирован

to serve smth. round ― обносить кругом (гостей напитками и
т. п.), угощать (гостей)

wine was served round ― вино было пущено по кругу
кормить, пичкать (несвежим)
to serve up an old tale ― пересказывать старую басню

TV keeps serving up the same diet of old movies ― телевидение
все время пичкает нас старыми фильмами
выполнять назначение; служить (для чего-л.);
использоваться, применяться

to serve some useful purpose ― послужить какой-л. полезной цели

to serve no purpose ― никуда (ни на что) не годиться

to serve as a lesson to smb. ― послужить кому-л. уроком

to serve as a pretext ― служить поводом

it serves to show the folly of smb. ― это служит подтверждением
безрассудства кого-л.

to serve its turn (its purpose) ― выполнять свое назначение

the box served him as a table ― ящик служил ему столом

I want a sofa to serve for a bed ― я хочу, чтобы диван служил
мне кроватью
быть полезным, оказывать помощь; содействовать
to serve the cause of peace ― служить делу мира

to serve smb.’s interests ― служить чьим-л. интересам

I would do much to serve you ― я бы многое отдал, чтобы быть
вам полезным

I wish I could serve you in this matter ― жаль, что я не могу
помочь вам в этом деле

no human power can serve us ― ничто не может (не в силах
человека) помочь нам

sound education will serve you in good stead in the affairs
of life ― основательное образование будет вам хорошим помощником
в жизни
благоприятствовать (о погоде, времени)
when occasion serves ― при удобном (подходящем) случае
удовлетворять, годиться, быть достаточным
that excuse will not serve you ― эта отговорка не оправдывает
вас

this didn’t serve our turn ― это нам не подходило, это нас
не устраивало

to serve smb.’s need ― удовлетворять чьи-л. потребности

this amount will serve me for a year ― этой суммы мне хватит
на год

that serves to show that he is honest ― это является
(достаточным) доказательством его честности
отбывать срок (службы, полномочий, наказания)
to serve an apprenticeship ― проходить курс ученичества

to serve one’s time (one’s term) ― отслужить свой срок;
отбывать срок наказания (тж. to serve a sentence)

he has served his full term in office ― срок его полномочий
истек

this suit has served its time ― костюм свое отслужил

to serve time ― отбывать срок (наказание)

he served eight months in jail ― он отсидел восемь месяцев
в тюрьме
разг. обходиться (с кем-л.), поступать
to serve smb. well ― обходиться с кем-л. хорошо

she was served very cruelly ― с ней обошлись очень жестоко

you have no business to serve me like that ― ты не имеешь
права так со мной обращаться
церк. служить службу
подавать мяч (теннис и волейбол)
to serve well ― подавать хорошо

it is your turn to serve ― ваша очередь подавать
юр. доставлять, вручать (повестку и т. п.)
to serve smb. with a notice ― вызывать кого-л. повесткой в суд

to serve a warrant on smb. ― предъявлять кому-л. ордер на арест

they’ve served a summons on him, they’ve served him with a
summons ― они вручили ему повестку
с-х. случать, спаривать
to serve a mare ― случать кобылу
мор. клетневать
to serve before the mast ― служить (простым) матросом на
торговом судне

to serve a gun ― вести огонь из орудия

to serve hand and foot ― служить верой и правдой

to serve the time ― приспосабливаться к духу времени; держать
нос по ветру

to serve smb. a (dirty) trick ― сыграть с кем-л. (плохую) шутку

to serve (smb.) with the same sauce to serve with the same
serve ― посл. платить той же монетой, отвечать дерзостью
на дерзость

it will serve ― это то, что нужно; этого будет достаточно

it will serve for the moment ― в данный момент это сойдет

it serves him right! ― поделом!, так ему и надо!

Источник

Other forms: served; serving; serves

To serve is to perform a role or function. While your co-worker is out sick, you gladly serve as his replacement until he gets better.

Serve comes from the Latin word for servant or slave, but you can serve people without being subordinate to them. You might serve your family hamburgers for dinner, or serve the tennis ball. If you serve a cause, you devote yourself to it. Bug repellant will serve you well on a summer fishing trip. In prison you serve time. If you’re elected Mayor, you’ll serve a term of three or four years.

Definitions of serve

verb

devote (part of) one’s life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas

“She
served the art of music”

“He
served the church”

“serve the country”

Synonyms:

assist, attend, attend to, wait on

work for or be a servant to

see moresee less

type of:

work

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
verb

do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function

“He
served as head of the department for three years”

“She
served in Congress for two terms”

see moresee less

types:

show 9 types…

hide 9 types…

sit

serve in a specific professional capacity

staff

serve on the staff of

act

discharge one’s duties

rotate

perform a job or duty on a rotating basis

function, officiate

perform duties attached to a particular office or place or function

caddie, caddy

act as a caddie and carry clubs for a player

represent

be a delegate or spokesperson for; represent somebody’s interest or be a proxy or substitute for, as of politicians and office holders representing their constituents, or of a tenant representing other tenants in a housing dispute

criticise, criticize

act as a critic

bank

act as the banker in a game or in gambling

type of:

do work, work

be employed
verb

work for or be a servant to

“May I
serve you?”

“The minister
served the King for many years”

synonyms:

assist, attend, attend to, wait on

see moresee less

types:

valet

serve as a personal attendant to

fag

act as a servant for older boys, in British public schools

type of:

aid, assist, help

give help or assistance; be of service
“She
served in Vietnam”

“My sons never
served, because they are short-sighted”
verb

promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to

“Art
serves commerce”

“Their interests are
served”

“The lake
serves recreation”

“The President’s wisdom has
served the country well”

synonyms:

serve well
verb

be used by; as of a utility

“The sewage plant
served the neighboring communities”

“The garage
served to shelter his horses”

synonyms:

service

function

serve a purpose, role, or function
verb

spend time in prison or in a labor camp
verb

help to some food; help with food or drink

synonyms:

help

dish, dish out, dish up, serve up

provide (usually but not necessarily food)
verb

provide (usually but not necessarily food)

“We
serve meals for the homeless”

“The entertainers
served up a lively show”

synonyms:

dish, dish out, dish up, serve up

help

help to some food; help with food or drink
verb

deliver a warrant or summons to someone
verb

be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity

“Nothing else will
serve”

synonyms:

answer, do, suffice
verb

serve a purpose, role, or function

“The tree stump
serves as a table”

“The female students
served as a control group”

“This table would
serve very well”

“His freedom
served him well”

synonyms:

function

service

be used by; as of a utility
verb

contribute or conduce to

“The scandal
served to increase his popularity”

Synonyms:

serve well

promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to
verb

put the ball into play

“It was Agassi’s turn to
serve”
noun

(sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play

“his powerful
serves won the game”

synonyms:

service

see moresee less

types:

show 5 types…

hide 5 types…

ace

a serve that the receiver is unable to reach

fault

(sports) a serve that is illegal (e.g., that lands outside the prescribed area)

let, net ball

a serve that strikes the net before falling into the receiver’s court; the ball must be served again

double fault

(tennis) two successive faults in serving resulting in the loss of the point

footfault

a fault that occurs when the server in tennis fails to keep both feet behind the baseline

type of:

tennis shot, tennis stroke

the act of hitting a tennis ball with a tennis racket

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Источник

Britannica Dictionary definition of SERVE

[+ object]

to give (food or drink) to someone at a meal, in a restaurant, etc.

Soup was served as the first course.
The waiter served our meals quickly.
The restaurant serves excellent Italian food.
Dinner is served. [=dinner is on the table and ready to be eaten]

—

see also serve up (below)

to give food or drink to (someone)

[+ object]

The waiter who served us was very nice.
Feel free to serve yourself at the salad bar.

[no object]

You carve the turkey, and I’ll serve.

[+ object]

to be enough food for (a particular number of people)

We need to make enough soup to serve [=feed] eight people.
The roast should serve six.

[+ object]

to provide service to (a customer)

to help (a customer) make purchases

I’m afraid all of our salespeople are serving other customers right now.
What can we do to serve our customers better?

[no object]

to be used or seen in a particular way

— + as

The trees can serve as shelter from the rain.
The organization serves as a model of social responsibility.
The accident serves as [=is] a reminder of the dangers of drunk driving.
Let that serve as [=be] a lesson to you.

to have a particular result or effect

— often + as

Babysitting his nieces served as a test of his patience.

— often followed by to + verb

She tried hard but her efforts only served to bring more attention to her lack of experience.

[+ object]

to be useful or helpful to (someone)

Her quick wit has served her well on many occasions.

to provide what is needed by or for (someone or something)

[+ object]

The library serves the community. = The library serves the needs of the community. [=provides things that the community needs]
He argued that government too often serves the interests of big business. [=does things to help big business instead of ordinary people]
Arguing with him serves no purpose. [=is not useful or helpful in any way]
If (my) memory serves me (right/correctly) [=if I remember correctly], she is from Los Angeles.
Many people do not believe that justice has been served in his case. [=that he has been given proper punishment or fair treatment by the legal system]

[no object]

If memory serves, she is from Los Angeles.

—

see also self-serving

[+ object]

to provide (an area or group of people) with a particular service

This neighborhood is not served with/by garbage collection.
Two elementary schools serve the town.

to hold a particular office, position, etc.

to perform a duty or job

[no object]

They served on the jury.
She served on the city council for years.
He served as the club’s adviser.
He served for five years in the army. = He served in the army for five years.
She was elected to serve for a second term.

[+ object]

We honor those who serve our country.
She served a two-year apprenticeship.

[+ object]

to be in prison for or during (a period of time)

He’s serving two years for robbery.
She is serving a life/10-year sentence.
He has served time [=spent time in prison] for drug possession.

[+ object]

law

to send or give (someone) official legal papers

He served her with divorce papers.
The police officer served a summons/writ on him.

[+ object]

to give respect and service to (someone or something)

She dedicated her whole life to serving God.

sports

to throw a ball into the air and hit it over a net to start play in tennis, volleyball, etc.

[no object]

It’s your turn to serve.

[+ object]

They flipped a coin to decide who would serve the ball first.

first come, first served

—

see ²first

serve (something) out

serve out (something)

to complete (a term in office, a prison sentence, etc.)

He vowed that he would serve out his five-year term as chairperson.
She served out her sentence in a prison in New York.

serve (someone) right

— used to say that someone who has behaved badly deserves a particular punishment, problem, etc.

“I hear his wife is divorcing him.” “It serves him right after the way he’s treated her.”
“He won’t even talk to me.” “(It) Serves you right for lying to him.”

serve two masters

to give equal support to two different causes, groups, etc.

You cannot serve two masters.

serve up (something)

serve (something) up

to give (food) to someone at a meal, in a restaurant, etc.

That little restaurant serves up some of the best Indian food in the city.

— sometimes used figuratively

The movie serves up a ton of laughs. [=the movie is very funny]

Britannica Dictionary definition of SERVE

the act or action of throwing a ball into the air and hitting it over a net to start play in tennis, volleyball, etc.

She started the game with a powerful serve.
It’s your serve. [=it’s your turn to serve the ball]

Источник

Top Definitions
Synonyms
Quiz
Related Content
Examples
British
Idioms And Phrases

This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.

verb (used without object), served, serv·ing.

to wait on table, as a waiter.

to offer or have a meal or refreshments available, as for patrons or guests: Come early, we’re serving at six.

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.

to render assistance; be of use; help.

to go through a term of service, do duty as a soldier, sailor, senator, juror, etc.

to have definite use: This cup will serve as a sugar bowl.

to answer the purpose: That will serve to explain my actions.

(in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put the ball or shuttlecock in play with a stroke, swing, or hit.

to be favorable, suitable, or convenient, as weather or time.

Ecclesiastical. to act as a server.

verb (used with object), served, serv·ing.

to be in the service of; work for.

to be useful or of service to; help.

to go through (a term of service, imprisonment, etc.).

to render active service to (a sovereign, commander, etc.).

to render obedience or homage to (God, a sovereign, etc.).

to perform the duties of (a position, an office, etc.): to serve his mayoralty.

to answer the requirements of; suffice: This will serve our needs for the moment.

to contribute to; promote: to serve a cause.

to wait upon at table; act as a waiter or waitress to.

to carry and distribute (portions of food or drink) to a patron or a specific table, as a waiter or waitress.

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?

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.

to provide with a regular or continuous supply of something.

(in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put (the ball or shuttlecock) in play.

to treat in a specified manner: That served him ill.

Law.

to make legal delivery of (a process or writ).
to present (a person) with a writ.

to gratify (desire, wants, needs, etc.).

(of a male animal) to mate with; service.

to operate or keep in action (a gun, artillery, etc.).

Nautical. to wrap (a rope) tightly with small stuff, keeping the turns as close together as possible.

noun

the act, manner, or right of serving, as in tennis.

QUIZ

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Idioms about serve

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 of serve

1125–75; Middle English serven<Old French servir<Latin servīre, equivalent to serv(us) slave (cf. serf) + -īre infinitive suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM serve

serv·a·ble, serve·a·ble, adjectiveo·ver·serve, verb (used with object)un·der·served, adjectiveun·serv·a·ble, adjective

un·served, adjectivewell-served, adjective

Words nearby serve

serum sickness, serv., serval, servant, servant church, serve, serve a purpose, serve one right, server, servery, serve time

Words related to serve

deliver, distribute, give, handle, present, provide, accept, attend, complete, follow, pass, perform, work, benefit, do, make, arrange, assist, deal, nurse

How to use serve in a sentence

Logan and I seemed to be good teammates—he was scratching the surface of what would later be a nasty serve, and I liked to relive my baseball-playing glory days by diving for a loose ball whenever possible.
Nadal’s opponents can’t seem to do the same thing to him with their serve plus one.
First, when serving, he’s winning the point on his first shot after the serve, a term that in recent years has come to be called “serve plus one.”
Nadal produced eight winners and drew 17 errors from Djokovic on the serve plus one.

When Djokovic was serving, he hit six winners and drew only a single error from Nadal using his serve plus one.
Placed in drinking water, fluoride can serve people who otherwise have poor access to dental care.
Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice turned herself in to serve a 15-month sentence for bankruptcy fraud.
Serve with the warm sauce and your choice of ice cream, whipped cream, or yogurt.
Krivov was sentenced to serve four years at a general regime penal colony for his fight for freedom and human rights.
But as we are seeing all over the world, one can serve the other.
These Rules (leaving out the Tenor) serves for five bells; and leaving out the fifth and Tenor, they serve for four bells.
She had carried the baby over to Juana’s and left her there, that she might be free to serve the Father’s supper.
He shall serve among great men, and appear before the governor.
There are four general forms of emphasis which serve as indications of the characteristics of expression.
The lower class were idle and lazy, and willing to serve any sovereign who appealed to them by ostentation.

British Dictionary definitions for serve

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, etcshe served her guests with cocktails

to distribute or provide (food, drink, etc) for guests, customers, etcdo you serve coffee?

(tr sometimes foll by up) to present (food, drink, etc) in a specified mannercauliflower served with cheese sauce

(tr) to provide with a regular supply of

(tr) to work actively forto serve the government

(tr) to pay homage toto serve God

to answer the requirements of; suitthis will serve my purpose

(intr; may take an infinitive) to have a use; functionthis 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

Also: service (tr) (of a male animal) to copulate with (a female animal)

sport to put (the ball) into play

(intr) RC 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, etcSee also seize (def.

serve a person right informal to pay a person back, esp for wrongful or foolish treatment or behaviour

noun

Australian a portion or helping of food or drink

Derived forms of serve

servable or serveable, adjective

Word Origin for serve

C13: from Old French servir, from Latin servīre, from servus a slave

Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with serve

In addition to the idioms beginning with serve

serve a purpose
serve one right
serve time
serve up

also see:

break someone’s serve
first come, first served
hand to on a silver platter (serve up on a plate)

Источник

The fact that Bayut. com stood out amongst the crowd of websites competing for the title serve as a testament to its authority in the field. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The only purpose this legislation seems to serve is to kick the bucket further down the road and in the mean time give democrats hope of creating a government sponsored enterprise in the form of the domestic automobile industry. ❋ Xtra (2008)

In mixed doubles, the serve is always gender to gender at deuce (three points each). ❋ Unknown (2006)

That Cosgrove has mere months left to serve is entirely irrelevant. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The evil force behind these pampered tenured public servants, who no longer serve, is the toothy, hawk-faced union president Randi Weingarten, who declares the virtues of serving a political interest group. ❋ Ruth Starkman (2010)

So, it’s hard to turn women away, but the way the program works is, the number of women we can serve is related to the number of sponsors, who help to support the women as they go through the program. ❋ Rahim Kanani (2010)

Their complete disconnect with the actual, proven war-fighting requirements of the state that they serve is embarrassing. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The America he would serve is a greatly reduced concept from what I’d imagined my own service benefiting. ❋ R_urell (2009)

Their complete disconnect with the actual, proven war-fighting requirements of the state that they serve is embarrassing. duuuuuuuude Says: ❋ Unknown (2009)

Perhaps the most critical bit of information that we currently possess about the impact of combat on those who serve is that early intervention, education and treatment are critical if we are to prevent severe and long-term damage and dysfunction. ❋ Ph.D. Barbara Van Dahlen (2010)

«His serve is probably the best on the tour,» Blake said. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Under the settlement, Mozilo agreed to never again serve as an officer or director of a publicly traded company. ❋ AP (2010)

Look at how schools actually behave and it becomes pretty clear that the constituency they serve is their employees. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The only purpose they serve is to kill and were never included as a «right» under the Second Amendment. ❋ Unknown (2009)

matt: Yo Juice go get a dutch.
Juice: Yea, after i go [serve up] this kid a [half zip] of [shrooms]. ❋ Juice On The Loose (2008)

«[That girl] was [fierce].» «[I know] did you see her serve?» ❋ Francois Andre (2007)

«There are severe servings here and here, but the worst [serving] occured here in the [pelvic] [region]» ❋ KyRo (2004)

SERVE him good.. SERVE him til he flips his [wigs]! [watch me] SERVE by miss [fernando].. ❋ Simplyshea (2006)

Her dress? [Serve].
Her opinion? Serve.
Her [wig]? Serve, mama [Ru]! ❋ Mirandacosgrove (2022)

[Not gonna lie], your [outfit] is a [serve].
This is a serve. ❋ Tragedies (2019)

«mannnnnnn she is [serving]!» ❋ ClapSurvivor (2019)

1.Shit son, [you just got served].
2. [You just got served] [back cunt]
3. Shit nigga, its on ❋ Bruno .B. (2004)

Joey is serving ecstasy, marijuana, cocaine and [mushrooms]. My other friend [Carlos] is selling acid, [percocets], crack and amphetamines though. Who do you want to call? ❋ Emoc (2004)

Me and my [b-boy] crew were pop-lockin and chillin, then this other crew came up and tried to serve us, but we had better moves, so [those bitches] got [served] back and owned. ❋ BlaznFattyz (2005)

Источник

Полезное

Смотреть что такое «serve» в других словарях:

serve

serve

serve

serve

serve

serve

serve

serve

serve

serve

serve

serve

serve

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first come, first served

serve (someone) right

serve two masters

Idioms about serve

Origin of serve

OTHER WORDS FROM serve

Words nearby serve