serve
[verb]
Synonyms:
- work for, aid, assist, attend to, help, minister to, wait on
- perform, act, complete, discharge, do, fulfil
- provide, deliver, dish up, present, set out, supply
- be adequate, answer the purpose, be acceptable, do, function as, satisfy, suffice, suit

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Related Idioms: fill the bill, do a hitch (or stretch), serve (out) a sentence, serve time, take a vacation
Related Words: service, function, work, fit, satisfy, make, put in, spend, undergo

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English Thesaurus: beat, defeat, trounce, thrash, wipe the floor with somebody, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. serve¹ S1 W1 /sɜːv $ sɜːrv/ verb
[Word Family: noun: servant, serve, server, service, disservice, the services, serving, servery, servicing, servility, servitude; adjective: serviceable, servile, serving; verb: serve, service]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old French; Origin: servir, from Latin servire 'to be a slave, serve', from servus 'slave, servant', perhaps from Etruscan]

1. FOOD/DRINK [intransitive and transitive] to give someone food or drink, especially as part of a meal or in a restaurant, bar etc:
The waiter was serving another table.
Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.
serve something with something
Serve the soup with crusty bread.
serve breakfast/lunch/dinner
Breakfast is served until 9 am.
serve something to somebody
Meals can be served to you in your room.
serve something hot/cold etc
Teacakes should be served hot with butter.

2. serve two/three/four etc (people) if food serves two, three etc, there is enough for that number of people

3. SHOP [intransitive and transitive] to help the customers in a shop, especially by bringing them the things that they want:
There was only one girl serving customers.

4. BE USEFUL/HELPFUL [intransitive and transitive] to be useful or helpful for a particular purpose or reason
serve as
The sofa had to serve as a bed.
The reforms served as a model for the rest of the Communist world.
A large cardboard box will serve the purpose.
Her talent for organization should serve her well.
serve the needs/interests of somebody/something
research projects that serve the needs of industry

5. DO USEFUL WORK [intransitive and transitive] to spend a period of time doing useful work or official duties for an organization, country, important person etc
serve as
Lord Herbert served as ambassador to France.
serve in the army/air force/navy etc
He returned to Greece to serve in the army.
serve on
Ann serves on various local committees.
the women who served their country in the war

6. HAVE AN EFFECT [intransitive] formal to have a particular effect or result
serve as
Her death should serve as a warning to other young people.
serve to do something
A single example serves to illustrate what I mean.

7. PROVIDE SOMETHING [transitive usually passive] to provide an area or a group of people with something that is necessary or useful:
Paris is served by two airports.

8. PRISON [transitive] to spend a particular period of time in prison:
He served an 18-month sentence for theft.
Did you know that Les is serving time (=is in prison)?

9. SPORT [intransitive and transitive] to start playing in a game such as tennis or volleyball by throwing the ball up in the air and hitting it over the net

10. it serves somebody right spoken used to say that you think someone deserves something unpleasant that happens to them, because they have been stupid or unkind:
‘She kicked me!’ ‘It serves you right, teasing her like that.’

11. serve an apprenticeship to learn a job or skill by working for a particular period of time for someone who has a lot of experience

12. serve a summons/writ etc to officially send or give someone a written order to appear in a court of law
⇒ if my memory serves me (right/well/correctly) at memory(1)
serve something ↔ out phrasal verb

1. to complete a particular period of time in prison or doing a job:
Dillon’s almost served out his sentence (=in prison).
The Senator’s illness means he may not serve out his term.

2. British English to put food onto plates:
Serve out the rice, will you?
serve something ↔ up phrasal verb
to give food to someone as part of a meal:
What are you serving up tonight?

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. serve² noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: servant, serve, server, service, disservice, the services, serving, servery, servicing, servility, servitude; adjective: serviceable, servile, serving; verb: serve, service]
the action in a game such as tennis or volleyball when you throw the ball in the air and hit it over the net

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

serve
verb
I. give sb food or drink
ADV. immediately Pour the sauce over the pasta and serve immediately.
VERB + SERVE be ready to Cover and chill the salad until ready to serve.
PREP. to They served a wonderful meal to more than 50 delegates.
with The delegates were served with a wonderful meal. Serve the lamb with new potatoes and green beans.
PHRASES serve sth chilled/cold/hot The quiche can be served hot or cold.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

serve
II. work
ADV. faithfully, loyally, well She served the family faithfully for many years (= as a servant).
VERB + SERVE continue to
PREP. as I shall continue to serve as a trustee.
in She served in the medical corps.
under He served under John Major in the early 1990s.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

beat to get more points, votes etc than someone. Beat is used especially in spoken English:
We should have beaten them easily.
I always beat my brother at tennis.
defeat to beat someone. Defeat is more formal than beat and is used especially in writing:
England were defeated by 2 goals to 1.
Bush defeated Kerry in the election.
trounce /traʊns/ to defeat someone completely in a game:
They were trounced 20–0 by Kuwait.
thrash British English informal, cream American English informal to beat someone very easily in a game:
Of course, they totally creamed the other team.
I hope we thrash them!
wipe the floor with somebody informal to beat someone completely in a game or argument:
She wiped the floor with her opponent in the debate.
They won a £1,000 prize after wiping the floor with the opposition in a bowling competition.
grate to cut cheese, carrot etc into small pieces by rubbing it against a special tool:
Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the top of the pasta.
melt to make butter, chocolate etc become liquid:
Melt the butter, chocolate, and 1 teaspoon of cream over a low heat.
sieve British English, sift American English to put flour or other powders through a sieve (=tool like a net made of wire, which you use for removing larger grains or pieces):
Sift the flour and cocoa before adding to the rest of the mixture.
chop to cut something into pieces, especially using a big knife:
Chop up the vegetables.
dice to cut vegetables or meat into small square pieces:
Dice the carrots and then fry them in butter.
season to add salt, pepper etc to food:
Season the meat before grilling.
crush to use a lot of force to break something such as seeds into very small pieces or into a powder:
Add one clove of crushed garlic.
mix to combine different foods together:
Mix together all the ingredients in one bowl.
beat/whisk to mix food together quickly with a fork or other tool:
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
stir to turn food around with a spoon:
Stir the sauce gently to prevent burning.
fold something in to gently mix another substance into a mixture:
Fold in the beaten egg whites.
knead to press dough (=a mixture of flour and water) many times with your hands when you are making bread:
Knead the dough for ten minutes, until smooth.
drizzle to slowly pour a small amount of a liquid onto something:
Drizzle with olive oil.
let something stand to leave something somewhere, before you do something else with it:
Let the mixture stand for a couple of hours so that it cools naturally.
serve to put different foods together as part of a meal:
Serve with rice and a salad.
Serve the aubergines on a bed of lettuce.
tired feeling that you want to sleep or rest:
I was really tired the next day.
the tired faces of the children
exhausted extremely tired:
I was exhausted after the long trip home.
He sat down, exhausted.
She immediately fell into an exhausted sleep.
worn out [not before noun] very tired because you have been working hard:
With three small children to care for, she was always worn out.
weary /ˈwɪəri $ ˈwɪr-/ written tired because you have been travelling, worrying, or doing something for a long time:
weary travellers
a weary sigh
He looks tired and weary after 20 years in office.
fatigued formal very tired:
They were too fatigued to continue with the climb.
Because of her illness, she often became fatigued.
drained [not before noun] very tired and feeling as if all your energy has gone:
Afterwards, he felt drained, both physically and mentally.
bushed/beat [not before noun] informal very tired:
I’m bushed. I think I’ll go to bed early.
I’m beat. I don’t think I’ll go for a run tonight.
knackered British English, pooped American English [not before noun] informal very tired. Knackered is a very informal use - do not use it in polite conversation:
By the time I got home I was absolutely knackered.
shattered [not before noun] British English informal extremely tired:
When I first started teaching, I came home shattered every night.
dead spoken extremely tired, so that you cannot do anything but sleep:
I was absolutely dead by the time I got home.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

cut to divide something into two or more pieces, especially using a knife or scissors:
Do you want me to cut the cake?
He cut off the lower branches.
snip to quickly cut something, especially using scissors:
I snipped the label off.
The hairdresser snipped away at her hair.
slit to make a long narrow cut through something, especially using a knife:
He slit the envelope open with a penknife.
She slit through the plastic covering.
slash to cut something quickly and violently with a knife, making a long thin cut:
Someone had slashed the tyres on his car.
He tried to slash his wrists.
saw to cut wood, using a saw (=a tool with a row of sharp points):
Saw the wood to the correct length.
chop to cut wood, vegetables, or meat into pieces:
Bill was outside chopping up firewood with an axe.
They chopped down the old tree.
finely chopped onion
slice to cut bread, meat, or vegetables into thin pieces:
I’ll slice the cucumber.
Slice the bread thinly.
dice to cut vegetables or meat into small square pieces:
First dice the apple into cubes.
grate to cut cheese or a hard vegetable by rubbing it against a special tool:
Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the vegetables.
peel to cut the outside part off something such as a potato or apple:
I peeled the potatoes and put them in a saucepan.
carve to cut thin pieces from a large piece of meat:
Uncle Ray carved the turkey.
mow to cut the grass in a garden, park etc:
A gardener was mowing the lawn.
trim (also clip) to cut a small amount off something, especially to make it look neater:
He was trimming his beard.
Trim the excess fat off the meat.
melt to make butter, chocolate etc become liquid:
Melt the butter, chocolate, and 1 teaspoon of cream over a low heat.
sieve British English, sift American English to put flour or other powders through a sieve (=tool like a net made of wire, which you use for removing larger grains or pieces):
Sift the flour and cocoa before adding to the rest of the mixture.
season to add salt, pepper etc to food:
Season the meat before grilling.
crush to use a lot of force to break something such as seeds into very small pieces or into a powder:
Add one clove of crushed garlic.
mix to combine different foods together:
Mix together all the ingredients in one bowl.
beat/whisk to mix food together quickly with a fork or other tool:
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
stir to turn food around with a spoon:
Stir the sauce gently to prevent burning.
fold something in to gently mix another substance into a mixture:
Fold in the beaten egg whites.
knead to press dough (=a mixture of flour and water) many times with your hands when you are making bread:
Knead the dough for ten minutes, until smooth.
drizzle to slowly pour a small amount of a liquid onto something:
Drizzle with olive oil.
let something stand to leave something somewhere, before you do something else with it:
Let the mixture stand for a couple of hours so that it cools naturally.
serve to put different foods together as part of a meal:
Serve with rice and a salad.
Serve the aubergines on a bed of lettuce.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

grate to cut cheese, carrot etc into small pieces by rubbing it against a special tool:
Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the top of the pasta.
melt to make butter, chocolate etc become liquid:
Melt the butter, chocolate, and 1 teaspoon of cream over a low heat.
sieve British English, sift American English to put flour or other powders through a sieve (=tool like a net made of wire, which you use for removing larger grains or pieces):
Sift the flour and cocoa before adding to the rest of the mixture.
chop to cut something into pieces, especially using a big knife:
Chop up the vegetables.
dice to cut vegetables or meat into small square pieces:
Dice the carrots and then fry them in butter.
season to add salt, pepper etc to food:
Season the meat before grilling.
crush to use a lot of force to break something such as seeds into very small pieces or into a powder:
Add one clove of crushed garlic.
mix to combine different foods together:
Mix together all the ingredients in one bowl.
beat/whisk to mix food together quickly with a fork or other tool:
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
stir to turn food around with a spoon:
Stir the sauce gently to prevent burning.
fold something in to gently mix another substance into a mixture:
Fold in the beaten egg whites.
knead to press dough (=a mixture of flour and water) many times with your hands when you are making bread:
Knead the dough for ten minutes, until smooth.
drizzle to slowly pour a small amount of a liquid onto something:
Drizzle with olive oil.
let something stand to leave something somewhere, before you do something else with it:
Let the mixture stand for a couple of hours so that it cools naturally.
serve to put different foods together as part of a meal:
Serve with rice and a salad.
Serve the aubergines on a bed of lettuce.
cut to divide something into two or more pieces, especially using a knife or scissors:
Do you want me to cut the cake?
He cut off the lower branches.
snip to quickly cut something, especially using scissors:
I snipped the label off.
The hairdresser snipped away at her hair.
slit to make a long narrow cut through something, especially using a knife:
He slit the envelope open with a penknife.
She slit through the plastic covering.
slash to cut something quickly and violently with a knife, making a long thin cut:
Someone had slashed the tyres on his car.
He tried to slash his wrists.
saw to cut wood, using a saw (=a tool with a row of sharp points):
Saw the wood to the correct length.
slice to cut bread, meat, or vegetables into thin pieces:
I’ll slice the cucumber.
Slice the bread thinly.
peel to cut the outside part off something such as a potato or apple:
I peeled the potatoes and put them in a saucepan.
carve to cut thin pieces from a large piece of meat:
Uncle Ray carved the turkey.
mow to cut the grass in a garden, park etc:
A gardener was mowing the lawn.
trim (also clip) to cut a small amount off something, especially to make it look neater:
He was trimming his beard.
Trim the excess fat off the meat.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

mix to put different substances or liquids together so that they can no longer be separated:
Mix yellow and blue paint to make green.
This cake is really easy – you just mix everything together in the bowl.
Concrete is made by mixing gravel with sand, cement, and water.
combine to mix things together so that they form a single substance. Combine is more formal than mix:
Combine the flour and the eggs.
Steel is produced by combining iron with carbon.
stir to move a spoon or stick around in a liquid, a pan etc, especially when you are mixing things together:
Keep stirring until the sauce becomes thicker.
Stir the sugar into the warm milk.
Stir the paint before you use it.
blend to mix together soft or liquid substances to form a single smooth substance:
Blend the yogurt with fresh fruit for a great drink.
beat to mix food together quickly and thoroughly using a fork or kitchen tool – used especially about eggs:
Beat the eggs and add them to the milk and flour.
whisk to mix foods that are soft or liquid very quickly so that air is mixed in, using a fork or special tool:
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
dilute to mix a liquid with water in order to make it weaker:
Dilute the bleach with two parts water to one part bleach.
fuse to combine different styles in order to form a new style:
The band fuses African rhythms with traditional Celtic music.
jumble to mix things together in an untidy way, so that they are not in any order:
The jigsaw pieces were all jumbled together in the box.
grate to cut cheese, carrot etc into small pieces by rubbing it against a special tool:
Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the top of the pasta.
melt to make butter, chocolate etc become liquid:
Melt the butter, chocolate, and 1 teaspoon of cream over a low heat.
sieve British English, sift American English to put flour or other powders through a sieve (=tool like a net made of wire, which you use for removing larger grains or pieces):
Sift the flour and cocoa before adding to the rest of the mixture.
chop to cut something into pieces, especially using a big knife:
Chop up the vegetables.
dice to cut vegetables or meat into small square pieces:
Dice the carrots and then fry them in butter.
season to add salt, pepper etc to food:
Season the meat before grilling.
crush to use a lot of force to break something such as seeds into very small pieces or into a powder:
Add one clove of crushed garlic.
beat/whisk to mix food together quickly with a fork or other tool:
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
fold something in to gently mix another substance into a mixture:
Fold in the beaten egg whites.
knead to press dough (=a mixture of flour and water) many times with your hands when you are making bread:
Knead the dough for ten minutes, until smooth.
drizzle to slowly pour a small amount of a liquid onto something:
Drizzle with olive oil.
let something stand to leave something somewhere, before you do something else with it:
Let the mixture stand for a couple of hours so that it cools naturally.
serve to put different foods together as part of a meal:
Serve with rice and a salad.
Serve the aubergines on a bed of lettuce.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

mix to put different substances or liquids together so that they can no longer be separated:
Mix yellow and blue paint to make green.
This cake is really easy – you just mix everything together in the bowl.
Concrete is made by mixing gravel with sand, cement, and water.
combine to mix things together so that they form a single substance. Combine is more formal than mix:
Combine the flour and the eggs.
Steel is produced by combining iron with carbon.
stir to move a spoon or stick around in a liquid, a pan etc, especially when you are mixing things together:
Keep stirring until the sauce becomes thicker.
Stir the sugar into the warm milk.
Stir the paint before you use it.
blend to mix together soft or liquid substances to form a single smooth substance:
Blend the yogurt with fresh fruit for a great drink.
beat to mix food together quickly and thoroughly using a fork or kitchen tool – used especially about eggs:
Beat the eggs and add them to the milk and flour.
whisk to mix foods that are soft or liquid very quickly so that air is mixed in, using a fork or special tool:
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
dilute to mix a liquid with water in order to make it weaker:
Dilute the bleach with two parts water to one part bleach.
grate to cut cheese, carrot etc into small pieces by rubbing it against a special tool:
Grate the cheese and sprinkle it over the top of the pasta.
melt to make butter, chocolate etc become liquid:
Melt the butter, chocolate, and 1 teaspoon of cream over a low heat.
sieve British English, sift American English to put flour or other powders through a sieve (=tool like a net made of wire, which you use for removing larger grains or pieces):
Sift the flour and cocoa before adding to the rest of the mixture.
chop to cut something into pieces, especially using a big knife:
Chop up the vegetables.
dice to cut vegetables or meat into small square pieces:
Dice the carrots and then fry them in butter.
season to add salt, pepper etc to food:
Season the meat before grilling.
crush to use a lot of force to break something such as seeds into very small pieces or into a powder:
Add one clove of crushed garlic.
beat/whisk to mix food together quickly with a fork or other tool:
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
fold something in to gently mix another substance into a mixture:
Fold in the beaten egg whites.
knead to press dough (=a mixture of flour and water) many times with your hands when you are making bread:
Knead the dough for ten minutes, until smooth.
drizzle to slowly pour a small amount of a liquid onto something:
Drizzle with olive oil.
let something stand to leave something somewhere, before you do something else with it:
Let the mixture stand for a couple of hours so that it cools naturally.
serve to put different foods together as part of a meal:
Serve with rice and a salad.
Serve the aubergines on a bed of lettuce.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

serve
sə:v
See: first come , first served

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲