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| Date: | 1100-1200 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | servir, from Latin servire 'to be a slave, serve', from servus 'slave, servant', perhaps from Etruscan |
Related topics:
1 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.
food/drink
[intransitive and transitive]The waiter was serving another table.Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.2 if food serves two, three etc, there is enough for that number of people
serve two/three/four etc (people)
3 to help the customers in a shop, especially by bringing them the things that they want :
shop
[intransitive and transitive]BBT4 to be useful or helpful for a particular purpose or reason
be useful/helpful
[intransitive and transitive] serve as The sofa had to serve as a bed. The reforms served as a model for the rest of the Communist world.
The sofa had to serve as a bed.The reforms served as a model for the rest of the Communist world.5 to spend a period of time doing useful work or official duties for an organization, country, important person etc
do useful work
[intransitive and transitive] serve as Lord Herbert served as ambassador to France.
Lord Herbert served as ambassador to France.6 to have a particular effect or result
have an effect
[intransitive] formal7 to provide an area or a group of people with something that is necessary or useful : Paris is served by two airports.
provide something
[transitive usually passive]Paris is served by two airports.8 to spend a particular period of time in prison :
prison
[transitive]SCJ9 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
sport
[intransitive and transitive]DS10 used to say that you think someone deserves something unpleasant that happens to them, because they have been stupid or unkind : 'She kicked me!' 'Serves you right, teasing her like that.'
it serves somebody right
spoken'She kicked me!' 'Serves you right, teasing her like that.'11 to learn a job or skill by working for a particular period of time for someone who has a lot of experience
serve an apprenticeship
BEC12 to officially send or give someone a written order to appear in a court of law
serve a summons/writ etc
SCL➔ if my memory serves me (right/well/correctly)
at memory (1)serve something ↔ out
phrasal verb1 to complete a particular period of time in prison or doing a job :
2 British EnglishDF to put food onto plates : Serve out the rice, will you?
Serve out the rice, will you?serve something ↔ up
phrasal verbDF to give food to someone as part of a meal : What are you serving up tonight?
What are you serving up tonight?
