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serve verb [ səːv ]

• perform duties or services for (another person or an organization).
• "Malcolm has served the church very faithfully"
Similar: work for, be in the service of, perform duties for, be employed by, have a job with, obey, be obedient to, carry out the wishes of, be of service to, be of use to, help, give help to, assist, give assistance to, aid, lend a hand to, give a helping hand to, do a good turn to, make a contribution to, do one's bit for, do something for, benefit, minister to, succour, be a member of, work on, be on, sit on, have/hold a place on, perform duties on, carry out duties on,
• present (food or drink) to someone.
• "they serve wine instead of beer"
Similar: dish up/out, give out, distribute, set out, plate up, spoon out, ladle out, present, provide, supply, make available,
• deliver (a document such as a summons or writ) in a formal manner to the person to whom it is addressed.
• "he said his lawyer would serve a writ to the multinational corporation within a week"
• be of use in achieving or satisfying.
• "this book will serve a useful purpose"
Similar: suffice, be adequate, be good enough, be all right, fit/fill the bill, do, answer, be useful, serve a purpose, meet requirements, suit,
• (in tennis and other racket sports) hit the ball or shuttlecock to begin play for each point of a game.
• "he tossed the ball up to serve"
• bind (a rope) with thin cord to protect or strengthen it.
• operate (a gun).
• "before long Lodge was the only man in his section able to serve the guns"

serve noun

• (in tennis and other racket sports) an act of hitting the ball or shuttlecock to start play.
• "he was let down by an erratic serve"
• a reprimand.
• "he would be willing to give the country a serve in an English newspaper"
Origin: Middle English: from Old French servir, from Latin servire, from servus ‘slave’.

if my memory serves me

• if I remember correctly.
"if my memory serves me, this is not the first time"

serve at table

• serve people with food or drink.

serve someone right

• be someone's deserved punishment or misfortune.
"it would serve you right if Jeff walked out on you"

serve one's time

• hold office for the normal period.
"every sergeant had served his time as a constable"

serve one's/its turn

• be useful or helpful.
"now that they have served their turn, cut some of them out"

serve two masters

• take orders from two superiors or follow two conflicting or opposing principles or policies at the same time.
"it is never easy to serve two masters"

serve out

• win the final game of a set or match while serving.
"Fitzgerald then served out for the set"

serve up

• present food or drink to someone.
"a new chain is serving up bowls of Scotland's traditional breakfast cereal"



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