serve
/sɝv/ verb A2- To be a formal servant for (a god or deity); to worship in an official capacity.
- To be a servant for; to work for, to be employed by.
- To wait upon (someone) at table; to set food and drink in front of, to help (someone) to food, meals etc.
- To render service by being a servant, worker, employee, or officeholder; to hold those roles and perform their duties.
- To set down (food or drink) on the table to be eaten; to bring (food, drink) to a person.
- To be useful to; to meet the needs of.
- To have a given use or purpose; to function for something or to do something.
- To usefully take the place as, instead of something else.
He/she/it serves · Past served · Past participle served · -ing form serving
Verb forms
- Base form
- serve
- He/she/it
- serves
- Past
- served
- Past participle
- served
- -ing form
- serving
Phrasal verbs and expressions
From the library
The Morrels have been shipowners from father to son; and there was a Morrel who served in the same regiment with me when I was in garrison at Valence.’”
I cannot help thinking it would have been a great pity to have served him that trick you were planning yesterday.”
Policar Morrel, who served under the other government, and who does not altogether conceal what he thinks on the subject, you are strongly suspected of regretting the abdication of Napoleon.
When the Shepherd returned to find his flock destroyed, he exclaimed: “I have been rightly served; why did I trust my sheep to a Wolf?”
Other matches
Learn serve in real texts
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