Serve Definition & Meaning

American

British

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Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms serve American [surv] / sɜrv /

verb (used without object)

served, serving

1. to act as a servant.

   Synonyms: attend

2. to wait on table, as a waiter.

   Synonyms: attend

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

   Come early, we're serving at six.

4. to offer or distribute a portion or portions of food or a beverage, as a host or hostess.

   It was her turn to serve at the faculty tea.

5. to render assistance; be of use; help.

   Synonyms: succor, aid

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

7. to have definite use.

   This cup will serve as a sugar bowl.

8. to answer the purpose.

   That will serve to explain my actions.

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

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

11. Ecclesiastical. to act as a server.

verb (used with object)

served, serving

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

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

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

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

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

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

   to serve his mayoralty.

7. to answer the requirements of; suffice.

   This will serve our needs for the moment.

8. to contribute to; promote.

   to serve a cause.

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

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

11. 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?

12. 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.

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

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

15. to treat in a specified manner.

    That served him ill.

16. Law.

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

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

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

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

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

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

noun

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

idioms

1. 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.

serve British / sɜːv /

verb

1. to be in the service of (a person)

2. to render or be of service to (a person, cause, etc); help

3. (in a shop) to give (customers) information about articles for sale and to hand over articles purchased

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

15. sport to put (the ball) into play

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

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

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

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

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

"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

noun

1. sport short for service 1

2. a portion or helping of food or drink

"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 serve More Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing serve

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

Other Word Forms

• overserve verb (used with object)
• servable adjective
• serveable adjective
• underserved adjective
• unservable adjective
• unserved adjective
• well-served adjective

Etymology

Origin of serve

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English serven, from Old French servir, from Latin servīre, equivalent to serv(us) “enslaved person” ( serf ) + -īre, infinitive suffix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Greg is a highly respected operator who knows how to run large-scale retail businesses, strengthen store execution, and lead high-performing teams,” said chairman Ron Sargent, who had served as interim CEO since March 2025.

From Barron's

In 1945, he served in the Pacific in the lead up to Japan's surrender.

From BBC

He served a sentence of two years and eight months for stabbing a teenager and now campaigns to raise awareness about knife crime.

From BBC

The tall 57-year-old -- who served more than seven years as prime minister -- saw his popularity soar when he helped oversee Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2008.

From Barron's

He is a graduate of University of Oxford, where he served as editor in chief of the Oxford Student newspaper and editor of the Oxford Political Review.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• accept
• attend
• complete
• follow
• pass
• perform
• work

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.