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serve
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- pronunciation:
- suhrv
- parts of speech:
- intransitive verb, transitive verb, noun
- phrases:
- serve one right
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word Builder, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| inflections: |
serves, serving, served |
| definition 1: |
to give aid or help; be of use.
He served as a volunteer at the hospital.- synonyms:
- aid, assist, help
- similar words:
- attend, avail, minister, tend
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| definition 2: |
to work as a servant.
She served as a nanny to the children of the family.- similar words:
- attend, work
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| definition 3: |
to fulfill a term of service, esp. in the military or government.
He served in the Army for ten years.- similar words:
- soldier
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| definition 4: |
to have a particular function.
This table serves as a desk.- synonyms:
- function
- similar words:
- act, avail, behave, pass muster, suffice, suit, work
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| definition 5: |
to offer or provide food or drink; work as a waiter or waitress.
How long have you been serving at this restaurant?- synonyms:
- wait
- similar words:
- cater, wait on, wait upon
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| definition 6: |
in tennis and other games, to hit the ball to begin a point.
Elena will be serving first in the match.
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| related words: |
administer, do, function, oblige, officiate, pay, provide |
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| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| definition 1: |
to give aid or help to (an individual or individuals) either as a part of one's job or as a volunteer.
The clerk who served me at the jewelry counter was very knowledgeable.She believed it was her duty to serve those in need, so she devoted a great deal of time to her volunteer work.- synonyms:
- aid, assist, help
- similar words:
- accommodate, attend, avail, benefit, oblige, succor, tend
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| definition 2: |
to be of use to, esp. to one's community or country and to those people, as a group, who live in these places.
They are serving the community by planting flowers and trees.
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| definition 3: |
to offer or provide food and drink to.
The waiter served us very efficiently, but he wasn't very friendly.
- synonyms:
- wait on
- similar words:
- accommodate, assist, help
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| definition 4: |
to offer or provide (food and drink).
She served the vegetables first and then the ham.The waiter forgot to serve the drinks.The restaurant serves dinner from five o'clock until eleven o'clock.- synonyms:
- offer
- similar words:
- bring, cater, provide
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| definition 5: |
to work for, esp. as a servant.
He served the family for many years as a butler.- synonyms:
- wait on, work for
- similar words:
- assist, attend, wait upon
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| definition 6: |
to fulfill (a term of service, imprisonment, or the like).
She served two terms as a senator.He served ten years at the penitentiary.- similar words:
- carry out, complete, do, fulfill, pass, perform, represent
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| definition 7: |
to provide with something; supply.
The pie will serve six people.- synonyms:
- furnish, provide, supply
- similar words:
- deliver, give, grant, present, render
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| definition 8: |
to treat in a specified way.
It will serve him right to go to jail for all the terrible things he's done!- similar words:
- fit, suit
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| definition 9: |
in tennis and other games, to hit (the ball) to begin a point.
She served the ball hard and made an ace. |
| related words: |
answer, favor, profit, satisfy |
adverb + (v.)serve
best, currently
(v.)serve
+ adverb
immediately, openly
(v.)serve
+ noun
adviser,
appetizer,
backdrop,
beef,
board,
bread,
breakfast,
buffer,
bun,
burger,
calorie,
catalyst,
chairman,
chicken,
cocktail,
combat,
consultant,
cream,
cuisine,
drink,
fare,
function,
ingredient,
inspiration,
jail,
lettuce,
liaison,
lunch,
meal,
mentor,
notice,
pasta,
peanut,
pizza,
plate,
platter,
pork,
potato,
prison,
purpose,
reminder,
rice,
salsa,
sandwich,
sauce,
sentence,
shrimp,
soup,
spoon,
steak,
subpoena,
tea,
term,
toast,
tortilla,
warrant
[See all][See only the most frequent]
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition: |
in tennis and other games, an instance of serving, or the ability or tendency to serve in a particular way.
He has one of the most powerful serves in tennis.Go ahead. It's your serve. |
| related words: |
turn |
adjective + (n.)serve
backhand, powerful, soft, successful
verb + (n.)serve
lose, protect, receive, return
(n.)serve
+ verb
hit, score
noun + (n.)serve
contact, net, point, recipe, spike, tennis, volley
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| phrase: |
serve one right |
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