serve

UK: /ˈsɜː^rv/ US: /sɝv/ ,(sûrv)

Inflections of 'serve' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

serves

v 3rd person singular

serving

v pres p

served

v past

served

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

serve /sɜrv/   v., served, serv•ing, n. 
v. 

1. to act as a servant to (another);
   work for: [no object]
   The maid served in the kitchen.
   [~ + object]
   served his young master well.
2. to carry and distribute (food or drink) to (a person at a table): [~ + object]
   He served the food.
   [~ + object + object]
   The headwaiter served us our food.
   [no object]
   A good waiter serves without drawing attention to himself.
   [no object]
   She served at the church reception.
3. to give assistance to;
   be of use to:
   [~ + object] May I serve you?
4. to be suitable for (a purpose);
   help: [no object]
   That cup will serve as a sugar bowl.
   [~ + object]
   This will serve our needs.
   [~ + to + verb (+ object)]
   This note will serve to explain my actions.
5. to go through a term of service for (something or someone), as a soldier, senator, etc.: [no object]
   served in the armed forces.
   [~ + object]
   served her country in the Gulf War.
6. to go through (a term in prison):
   [~ + object] had to serve six years in prison.
7. Sport (in tennis, handball, etc.) to put (the ball or shuttlecock) in play with a stroke or hit: [no object]
   served first to start the match.
   [~ + object]
   served the first ball out of bounds.
8. Religion to attend the priest at (mass): [no object]
   The altar boy served at the 12:30 mass.
   [~ + object]
   The altar boy served the 12:30 mass.
9. to give active service or obedience to (God, a sovereign, etc.): [no object]
   He served under the president well.
   [~ + object]
   "You have served me well,'' the king whispered to his chamberlain.
10. to contribute to;
    promote:
    [~ + object] to serve a cause.
11. Law to give in a legal manner (a summons, process, etc.) to (someone): [~ + object]
    served his client with a warrant; served the warrant for the arrest of my client.
    [~ + object + object]
    served my client the warrant.

n. [countable]

12. the act or right of serving, as in tennis:
    Whose serve is it?

Idioms

13. Idioms serve (someone) right, to be someone's just punishment, as for improper behavior:
    It served her right to get caught; she was cheating all the time.

serv•er, n. [countable] See -serv-¹.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

serve  (sûrv), v., served, serv•ing, n. 
v.i. 

1. to act as a servant.
2. to wait on table, as a waiter.
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.
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. Sport (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. Religion [Eccles.] to act as a server.

v.t. 

12. to be in the service of;
    work for.
13. to be useful or of service to;
    help.
14. to go through (a term of service, imprisonment, etc.).
15. to render active service to (a sovereign, commander, etc.).
16. to render obedience or homage to (God, a sovereign, etc.).
17. to perform the duties of (a position, an office, etc.):
    to serve his mayoralty.
18. to answer the requirements of;
    suffice:
    This will serve our needs for the moment.
19. to contribute to;
    promote:
    to serve a cause.
20. to wait upon at table;
    act as a waiter or waitress to.
21. to carry and distribute (portions of food or drink) to a patron or a specific table, as a waiter or waitress.
22. 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?
23. 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.
24. to provide with a regular or continuous supply of something.
25. Sport (in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put (the ball or shuttlecock) in play.
26. to treat in a specified manner:
    That served him ill.
27. Law
    • to make legal delivery of (a process or writ).
    • to present (a person) with a writ.
28. to gratify (desire, wants, needs, etc.).
29. Animal Husbandry, Zoology (of a male animal) to mate with;
    service.
30. to operate or keep in action (a gun, artillery, etc.).
31. Nautical, Naval Terms to wrap (a rope) tightly with small stuff, keeping the turns as close together as possible.
32. serve one right, to treat one as one deserves, esp. to punish justly:
    It will serve you right if she never speaks to you again.

n. 

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

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

serv′a•ble, serve′a•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 5. aid, succor.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

serve / 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. (transitive) 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. (transitive) sometimes followed by up: to present (food, drink, etc) in a specified manner: cauliflower served with cheese sauce
7. (transitive) to provide with a regular supply of
8. (transitive) to work actively for: to serve the government
9. (transitive) 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. (intransitive) (of weather, conditions, etc) to be favourable or suitable
14. Also: service (transitive) (of a male animal) to copulate with (a female animal)
15. to put (the ball) into play
16. (transitive) to deliver (a legal document, esp a writ or summons) to (a person)
17. (transitive) to bind (a rope, spar, etc) with wire or fine cord to protect it from chafing, etc
    See also seize8
18. serve a person right ⇒ to pay a person back, esp for wrongful or foolish treatment or behaviour

noun

1. short for service117
2. a portion or helping of food or drink

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French servir, from Latin servīre, from servus a slave

ˈservable, ˈserveable adjective