Sekirov Dictionary

serve

UK /sɜːv/US /sɝv/

verb 26
noun 3
forms 6
phrases 7

verb26

•
to bring food and drinks to someone who is sitting down to eat
- That night Annie served him grilled halibut and English peas, plus tomatoes, of course, and a salad. — 2007
To provide a service (or, by extension, a product, especially food or drink).
•
To set down (food or drink) on the table to be eaten; to bring (food, drink) to a person.
- About twenty minutes after waiters served the soup, a guest got up and left. — 2009
•
(slang) To provide crack cocaine (to), usually by selling, dealing, or distributing.
- 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. — 2006
•
To be a formal servant for (a god or deity); to worship in an official capacity.
- And yet this is not the office of a Priest, but of Him whom the Priest should serve. — 1889
•
To be a servant for; to work for, to be employed by.
- And truly, Mrs. Abigal, I must needs say, I serv'd my Master contentedly, vvhile he vvas living; but I vvill serve no Man living (that is, no Man that is not living) vvithout double VVages. — 1716
•
To render service by being a servant, worker, employee, or officeholder; to hold those roles and perform their duties.
- They also serve who only stand and wait. — 1673
•
To be in military service.
- Some reports suggested he would quit the army if he was not allowed to serve abroad in a war zone. — 2007
To be effective.
•
To be useful to; to meet the needs of.
- Will somebody please explain to these people that the values of cultural diversity are not served by an ad placing a menorah under a fucking Christmas tree! — 1989
•
To have a given use or purpose; to function for something or to do something.
- The bust also served to remind the public that the Mafia is not harmless. — 2011
•
To usefully take the place as, instead of something else.
- Maybe the volcanic eruption will serve as a wake-up call to such companies that they need to modernise their risk management. — 2010
•
To work through (a given period of time in prison, a sentence).
- Several years ago Ernie was arrested for crossing the beach after curfew and served 58 days in jail. — 1987
•
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.
•
To lead off with the first delivery over the net in tennis, volleyball, ping pong, badminton etc.
- 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. — 2007
To deliver a document in such a way that the recipient can be legally considered to be informed of it.
•
To officially deliver (a legal notice, summons etc.).
- a document served on the tenant
To make legal service upon (a person named in a writ, summons, etc.)
•
To present an attractive personal appearance.
- […] Angela Bassett, serving for the gods in regal headdresses and flowing white dreadlocks as T'Challa's mother, […] — 2017
•
To attractively display (something, especially a body part) as part of one's personal appearance.
- I feel the same way about Ashley Monroe too, who was her usual sweet self as she came through serving cleavage to the max. — 2016
•
To evoke (something, especially a person) with one's personal appearance.
- Serving Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! realness, and we’re into it. — 2019
•
To copulate with (of male animals); to cover.
- Conception means that a cow is served by a bull and that she becomes pregnant. — 1996
•
To work, to operate (a weapon).
- 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. — 1864
To wind spun yarn etc. tightly around (a rope or cable, etc.) so as to protect it from chafing or from the weather.
•
(no longer used) To treat (someone) in a given manner.
- 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. — 1593
•
(no longer used) To be suitor to; to be the lover of.
- That gentle Lady, whom I loue and serue. — 1590

noun3

•
An act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games.
- Whose serve is it?
•
(Australia) A portion of food or drink, a serving.
- The night before your event, base your evening meal on high-carbohydrate foods with a small serve of lean protein. — 2004
•
An impressive presentation (especially of a person's appearance).
- That white eyeliner is such a serve.

forms

served · servedst · serving · serves · serveth · servest

Phrases with serve

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