serve
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
-
devote (part of) one's life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas
-
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”
-
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
-
work for or be a servant to
-
do military service
-
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
-
be used by; as of a utility
-
mate with
-
spend time in prison or in a labor camp
-
help to some food; help with food or drink
-
provide (usually but not necessarily food)“We serve meals for the homeless”“The entertainers served up a lively show”
-
help
help to some food; help with food or drink
-
help
-
deliver a warrant or summons to someone
-
be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity“Nothing else will serve”
-
types:
- show 7 types...
- hide 7 types...
-
bridge over, keep going, tide over
suffice for a period between two points
-
go a long way
suffice or be adequate for a while or to a certain extent
-
function
serve a purpose, role, or function
-
measure up, qualify
prove capable or fit; meet requirements
-
go around
be sufficient
-
prelude
serve as a prelude or opening to
-
act as
function as or act like
-
type of:
-
fulfil, fulfill, live up to, satisfy
meet the requirements or expectations of
-
serve a purpose, role, or function
-
contribute or conduce to“The scandal served to increase his popularity”
-
Synonyms:
-
serve well
promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to
-
types:
-
facilitate, help
be of use
-
type of:
-
effect, effectuate, set up
produce
-
serve well
-
put the ball into play
-
(sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play“his powerful serves won the game”
-
synonyms:
service
-
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
Pronunciation
US
/sərv/
UK
/səv/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘serve'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Word Family
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Look up serve for the last time
Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.
