Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Serve
Serve
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Served
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Serving
.] 1.
To work for; to labor in behalf of; to exert one’s self continuously or statedly for the benefit of; to do service for; to be in the employment of, as an inferior, domestic, serf, slave, hired assistant, official helper, etc.; specifically, in a religious sense, to obey and worship.
God is my witness, whom I
serve
with my spirit. Rom. i. 9.
Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will
serve
thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. Gen. xxix. 18.
No man can
serve
two masters. Matt. vi. 24.
Had I but
I
Have left me naked to mine enemies.
served
my God with half the zealI
served
my king, he would not in mine ageHave left me naked to mine enemies.
Shakespeare
2.
To be subordinate to; to act a secondary part under; to appear as the inferior of; to minister to.
Bodies bright and greater should not
The less not bright.
serve
The less not bright.
Milton.
3.
To be suitor to; to profess love to.
[Obs.]
To
serve
a lady in his beste wise. Chaucer.
4.
To wait upon; to supply the wants of; to attend; specifically, to wait upon at table; to attend at meals; to supply with food;
as, to
. serve
customers in a shopOthers, pampered in their shameless pride,
Are
Are
served
in plate and in their chariots ride. Dryden.
5.
Hence, to bring forward, arrange, deal, or distribute, as a portion of anything, especially of food prepared for eating; – often with up; formerly with in.
Bid them cover the table,
serve
in the meat, and we will come in to dinner. Shakespeare
Some part he roasts, then
serves
it up so dressed. Dryde.
6.
To perform the duties belonging to, or required in or for; hence, to be of use to;
as, a curate may
. serve
two churches; to serve
one's country7.
To contribute or conduce to; to promote; to be sufficient for; to satisfy;
as, to
. serve
one's turnTurn it into some advantage, by observing where it can
serve
another end. Jer. Taylor.
8.
To answer or be (in the place of something) to;
as, a sofa
. serves
one for a seat and a couch9.
To treat; to behave one's self to; to requite; to act toward;
as, he
. served
me very ill10.
To work; to operate;
as, to
. serve
the guns11.
(Law)
(a)
To bring to notice, deliver, or execute, either actually or constructively, in such manner as the law requires;
as, to
. serve
a summons(b)
To make legal service opon (a person named in a writ, summons, etc.);
as, to
. serve
a witness with a subpœna12.
To pass or spend, as time, esp. time of punishment;
as, to
. serve
a term in prison13.
To copulate with; to cover;
as, a horse
; – said of the male. serves
a mare14.
(Tennis)
To lead off in delivering (the ball).
15.
(Naut.)
To wind spun yarn, or the like, tightly around (a rope or cable, etc.) so as to protect it from chafing or from the weather. See under
Serving
. To serve an attachment
or
To serve a writ of attachment
(Law)
, to levy it on the person or goods by seizure, or to seize.
– To serve an execution
(Law)
, to levy it on a lands, goods, or person, by seizure or taking possession.
– To serve an office
, to discharge a public duty.
– To serve a process
(Law)
, in general, to read it, so as to give due notice to the party concerned, or to leave an attested copy with him or his attorney, or his usual place of abode.
– To serve a warrant
, to read it, and seize the person against whom it is issued.
– To serve a writ
(Law)
, to read it to the defendant, or to leave an attested copy at his usual place of abode.
– To serve one out
, to retaliate upon; to requite.
“I'll serve you out for this.” C. Kingsley.
– To serve one right
, to treat, or cause to befall one, according to his deserts; – used commonly of ill deserts;
– as, it
. serves
the scoundrel right
To serve one's self of
, to avail one's self of; to make use of.
[A Gallicism]
I will
– serve myself of
this concession. Chillingworth.
To serve out
, to distribute;
– as,
. to serve out
rationsTo serve the time
or To serve the hour
to regulate one's actions by the requirements of the time instead of by one's duty; to be a timeserver.
[Obs.]
They think herein we
serve the time
, because thereby we either hold or seek preferment. Hooker.
Syn. – To obey; minister to; subserve; promote; aid; help; assist; benefit; succor.
Serve
,Verb.
I.
1.
To be a servant or a slave; to be employed in labor or other business for another; to be in subjection or bondage; to render menial service.
The Lord shall give thee rest . . . from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to
serve
. Isa. xiv. 3.
2.
To perform domestic offices; to be occupied with household affairs; to prepare and dish up food, etc.
But Martha . . . said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to
serve
alone? Luke x. 40.
3.
To be in service; to do duty; to discharge the requirements of an office or employment. Specifically, to act in the public service, as a soldier, seaman. etc.
Many . . . who had before been great commanders, but now
served
as private gentlemen without pay. Knolles.
4.
To be of use; to answer a purpose; to suffice; to suit; to be convenient or favorable.
This little brand will
serve
to light your fire. Dryden.
As occasion
And prince shall follow with a fresh supply.
serves
, this noble queenAnd prince shall follow with a fresh supply.
Shakespeare
5.
(Tennis)
To lead off in delivering the ball.
Webster 1828 Edition
Serve
SERVE
,Verb.
T.
1. To work for; to bestow the labor of body and mind in the employment of another.
Jacob loved Rachel and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy youngest daughters. Gen. 29.
No man can serve two masters. Matt. 6.
2. To act as the minister of; to perform official duties to; as, a minister serves his prince.
Had I served God as diligently as I have served the king, he would not have given me over in my gray hairs. Cardinal Woolsey.
3. To attend at command; to wait on.
A goddess among gods, ador'd and serv'd
By anbels numberless, thy daily train. Milton.
4. To obey servilely or meanly. be not to wealth a servant.
5. To supply with food; as, to be served in plate.
6. To be subservient or subordinate to.
Bodies bright and greater should not serve
The less not bright. Milton.
7. To perform the duties required in; as, the curate served two churches.
8. To obey; to perform duties in the employment of; as, to serve the king or the country in the army or navy.
9. To be sufficient, or to promote; as, to serve one's turn, end or purpose.
10. To help by good offices; as, to serve one's country.
11. To comply with; to submit to.
They think herein we serve the time, because thereby we either hold or seek preferment. Hooker.
12. To be sufficient for; to satisfy; to content.
One half pint bottle serves them both to dine,
And is at once their vinegar and wine. Pope.
13. To be in the place of any thing to one. A sofa serves the Turks for a seat and a couch.
14. To treat; to requite; as, he served me ungratefully; he served me very ill; We say also, he served me a trick, that is he deceived me, or practiced an artifice on me.
15. In Scripture and theology, to obey and worship; to act in conformity to the law of a superior, and treat him with due reverence.
Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth. As for me and my house, we will serve the lord. Josh. 24.
16. In a bad sense, to obey; to yeild compliance or act according to.