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Serve Very Common

Serve has 19 different meanings across 2 categories:

Noun · Verb

Definitions
Noun
1

(sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play

"his powerful serves won the game"

2

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

"The tennis player stepped up to the baseline and served the ball across the net to start the point."

In plain English: A serve is the first hit of the ball that starts a point in games like tennis or volleyball.

"The waiter placed the main course on the table to serve."

Verb
1

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"

2

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"

3

contribute or conduce to

"The scandal served to increase his popularity"

4

be used by; as of a utility

"The sewage plant served the neighboring communities"

"The garage served to shelter his horses"

5

help to some food; help with food or drink

"I served him three times, and after that he helped himself"

6

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"

7

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"

8

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"

9

spend time in prison or in a labor camp

"He did six years for embezzlement"

10

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"

11

deliver a warrant or summons to someone

"He was processed by the sheriff"

12

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"

13

do military service

"She served in Vietnam"

"My sons never served, because they are short-sighted"

14

mate with

"male animals serve the females for breeding purposes"

15

put the ball into play

"It was Agassi's turn to serve"

16

To provide a service (or, by extension, a product, especially food or drink).

"The waiter came to our table to serve us some appetizers before the main course arrived."

17

To be a formal servant for (a god or deity); to worship in an official capacity.

"The devout followers gathered at dawn to serve their local shrine, offering prayers and incense as part of their daily ritual duties."

In plain English: To serve means to give someone something they need, like food or help.

"She decided to serve dinner on a large platter for everyone."

Usage: Use this word when providing help, hospitality, or religious duties rather than delivering legal documents or playing sports. It often pairs with objects like "food," "customers," or "God" depending on the specific context of service being rendered.

Example Sentences
"The waiter placed the main course on the table to serve." noun
"She decided to serve dinner on a large platter for everyone." verb
"I need to serve dinner before everyone arrives." verb
"The tennis player served an ace on the first point." verb
"This restaurant serves delicious pizza and pasta." verb
See Also
protect servant service court set instead restaurant choko rota
Related Terms
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
tennis stroke suffice work effect function provide foster spend help deliver satisfy copulate move
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
ace fault let prelude act as sit staff act rotate officiate caddie represent help plank admit valet fag subpoena wash tide over go a long way serve qualify go around stand

Origin

The word serve comes from the Latin words for "slave" and "servant," which may have originated in Etruscan. It entered English through Old French to describe the act of working for someone or attending to their needs.

Rhyming Words
verve terve curve lurve perve nerve merve kerve herve varve tarve larve harve carve surve swarve slurve sparve clerve enerve
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