Word: serve Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From Middle English serven, from Old French servir, from Latin serviō (“be a slave; serve”), from Latin servus (“slave; servant”), which perhaps derives from Etruscan (compare Etruscan proper names 𐌔𐌄𐌓𐌅𐌉 (servi), 𐌔𐌄𐌓𐌅𐌄 (serve)), or from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“watch over, protect”). Pronunciation: /sɜːv/, /sɝv/, /sɑː(ɹ)v/ 1. To provide a service (or, by extension, a product, especially food or drink). Labels: personal, transitive Example: And yet this is not the office of a Priest, but of Him whom the Priest should serve. 2. To provide a service (or, by extension, a product, especially food or drink). Labels: personal, transitive Example: And truly, Mrs. Abigal, I muſt needs ſay, I ſerv'd my Maſter contentedly, vvhile he vvas living; but I vvill ſerve no Man living (that is, no Man that is not living) vvithout double VVages. Example: […]his lordship was out of humour. That was the way Chollacombe described as knaggy an old gager as ever Charles had had the ill-fortune to serve. 3. To provide a service (or, by extension, a product, especially food or drink). Labels: personal, transitive Example: That night Annie served him grilled halibut and English peas, plus tomatoes, of course, and a salad. 4. To provide a service (or, by extension, a product, especially food or drink). Labels: factive, intransitive, personal Example: They also serve who only stand and wait. 5. To provide a service (or, by extension, a product, especially food or drink). Labels: personal, transitive Example: About twenty minutes after waiters served the soup, a guest got up and left. 6. To treat (someone) in a given manner. Labels: archaic, transitive Example: Herein thou haſt done good ſeruice to thy country: VVere all inhumaine ſlaues ſo ſerued as he, England would be ciuill, and from all ſuch dealings free. Example: I mock them all who have served me ill of late and chiefly this cheat of Judah, whose temple we have plundered and whose golden vessels are my wash-pots. 7. To be suitor to; to be the lover of. Labels: archaic, transitive Example: That gentle Lady, whom I loue and serue. 8. To be effective. Labels: transitive Example: Will somebody please explain to these people that the values of cultural diversity are not served by an ad placing a menorah under a fucking Christmas tree! Example: So, while the sycophantic liberal media calls any and all opposition to Obama racist, they give Obama carte blanche to exploit his race whenever it serves his purpose. 9. To be effective. Labels: intransitive Example: The bust also served to remind the public that the Mafia is not harmless. Example: Creating a complete map of the human connectome would therefore be a monumental milestone but not the end of the journey to understanding how our brains work. The achievement will transform neuroscience and serve as the starting point for asking questions we could not otherwise have answered,[…]. 10. To be effective. Labels: intransitive Example: Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out.[…]. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft. Example: Maybe the volcanic eruption will serve as a wake-up call to such companies that they need to modernise their risk management. 11. To deliver a document in such a way that the recipient can be legally considered to be informed of it. Labels: transitive Example: a document served on the tenant Example: On the morning of February 28, 1993, ATF agents gathered at a staging area near Waco and prepared to serve a search warrant on the Branch Davidians' residence. 12. To deliver a document in such a way that the recipient can be legally considered to be informed of it. Labels: transitive Example: to serve a witness with a subpoena 13. To lead off with the first delivery over the net in tennis, volleyball, ping pong, badminton etc. Labels: intransitive, transitive Example: In women's tennis the need to serve more effectively has become greater in recent years because the game is being played more aggressively, and rallies are becoming shorter as a result. 14. To copulate with (of male animals); to cover. Labels: transitive Example: Conception means that a cow is served by a bull and that she becomes pregnant. 15. To be in military service. Labels: intransitive Example: Some reports suggested he would quit the army if he was not allowed to serve abroad in a war zone. 16. To work, to operate (a weapon). Labels: transitive Example: John T. Greble, of the 2d regular artillery, was likewise killed instantly by a ball through the head, while serving his gun in the face of the foe. 17. To work through (a given period of time in prison, a sentence). Labels: transitive Example: The Guangzhou Daily reported that Shi Chunlong, 20, who organised the incident, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Hou Bin, who pulled out of the attack after helping to plan it, will serve 12 years. 18. To wind spun yarn etc. tightly around (a rope or cable, etc.) so as to protect it from chafing or from the weather. 19. To perform (a public obligation). Labels: transitive Example: I've received a summons for jury duty. It says I serve one day or one trial. Example: She served the office of mayor five years ago. 20. To provide crack cocaine (to), usually by selling, dealing, or distributing. Labels: ambitransitive, slang Example: Once I began selling crack, money was no issue. I would be out 2-3 days at a time, up for 24 hours a day. It was a full time job, serving crack fiends. Example: Tim told her that she could make a little money on the side by serving crack-cocaine. 21. To present an attractive personal appearance. Labels: intransitive Example: […] Angela Bassett, serving for the gods in regal headdresses and flowing white dreadlocks as T'Challa's mother, […] 22. To present an attractive personal appearance. Labels: transitive Example: I feel the same way about Ashley Monroe too, who was her usual sweet self as she came through serving cleavage to the max. Example: Wearing an itty-bitty black bikini and mirror-like sunnies, she's serving face. 23. To present an attractive personal appearance. Labels: transitive Example: Serving Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! realness, and we’re into it. Example: Dior’s collection was serving major Bridgerton vibes, and I am definitely taking notes.