sə:v v. & n. --v. 1 tr. do a service
for (a
person,
community, etc.). 2 tr. (also absol.) be a
servant to. 3 intr.
carry out duties (served on
six committees). 4 intr. a (foll. by in) be employed in (an
organization,
esp.
the armed forces, or a
place, esp. a
foreign country) (served in the
air force). b be a
member of the armed forces. 5 a tr. be
useful to or
serviceable for; meet the
needs of; do
what is required for (serve a
purpose;
one packet serves
him for a week). b intr. meet requirements;
perform a
function (a
sofa serving as a bed). c intr. (foll. by to + infin.)
avail,
suffice (his
attempt served
only to
postpone the
inevitable; it serves to
show the
folly of
such action). 6 tr. go
through a
due period of (office, apprenticeship, a
prison sentence, etc.). 7 tr. set out or present (food) for
those about to
eat it (asparagus served
with butter;
dinner was then served). 8 intr. (in full serve at table)
act as a
waiter. 9 tr. a
attend to (a
customer in a shop). b (foll. by with) supply with (goods) (was serving a customer with apples; served the
town with gas). 10 tr.
treat or act
towards (a person) in a specified
way (has served me shamefully;
you may serve me as you will). 11 tr. a (often foll. by on)
deliver (a writ etc.) to the person
concerned in a legally
formal manner (served a
warrant on him). b (foll. by with) deliver a writ etc. to (a person) in
this way (served
her with a summons). 12 tr.
Tennis etc. a (also absol.) deliver (a ball etc.) to
begin or
resume play. b
produce (a
fault etc.) by
doing this. 13 tr.
Mil.
keep (a
gun,
battery, etc.)
firing. 14 tr. (of an
animal, esp. a
stallion etc. hired for the purpose)
copulate with (a female). 15 tr.
distribute (served the
ammunition out; served the rations round). 16 tr.
render obedience to (a
deity etc.). 17 Eccl. a intr. act as a
server. b tr. act as a server at (a service). 18 intr. (of a tide) be
suitable for a
ship to leave
harbour etc. 19 tr. Naut.
bind (a
rope etc.) with
thin cord to
strengthen it. 20 tr. play (a
trick etc.)
on. --n. 1 Tennis etc. a the act or an
instance of serving. b a manner of serving. c a person's
turn to serve. 2
Austral. sl. a
reprimand. øit will serve it will be
adequate. serve one's needs (or need) be adequate. serve out
retaliate on. serve the purpose of
take the place of, be used
as. serve a person
right be a person's deserved
punishment or
misfortune. serve one's
time 1 hold
office for the
normal period. 2 (also serve time)
undergo imprisonment, apprenticeship, etc. serve one's (or the) turn be adequate. serve up
offer for
acceptance. [ME f. OF servir f. L servire f. servus slave]
