HyperDic: serve

English > 16 senses of the word *serve*:
VERB	stative	serve, function	serve a purpose, role, or function
	competition	serve	do duty or hold offices
	stative	serve	contribute or conduce to
	social	serve, service	be used by
	consumption	serve, help	help to some food
	consumption	serve, serve up, dish out, dish up, dish	provide (usually but not necessarily food)
	social	serve	devote (part of) one's life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas
	stative	serve, serve well	promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to
	stative	serve, do	spend time in prison or in a labor camp
	social	serve, attend to, wait on, attend, assist	work for or be a servant to
	contact	serve, process, swear out	deliver a warrant or summons to someone
	stative	serve, suffice, do, answer	be sufficient
	social	serve	do military service
	contact	serve, service	mate with
	competition	serve	put the ball into play
NOUN	act	serve, service	(sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play

serve > pronunciation
Sounds	ser'v
Rhymes	conserve ... verve: 12 rhymes with erv...

English > *serve*: 16 senses > noun 1, act
Meaning	(sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play.
Example	"his powerful serves won the game"
Synonym	service
Category	badminton	A game / game played on a court with light long-handled rackets used to volley a shuttlecock over a net
	squash, squash racquets, squash rackets	A game / game played in an enclosed court by two or four players who strike the ball with long-handled rackets
	tennis, lawn tennis	A game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court
Narrower	ace	A serve that the receiver is unable to reach
	fault	(sports) a serve that is illegal (e.g., that lands outside the prescribed area)
	let, net ball	A serve that strikes the net before falling into the receiver's court
Broader	tennis stroke, tennis shot	The act of hitting a tennis ball with a tennis racket
Spanish	saque, servicio, servir
Catalan	servei
Verbs	serve	put the ball into play

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 1, stative
Meaning	Serve a purpose, role, or function.
Pattern	Something ----s; Somebody ----s; Somebody ----s somebody; Something ----s something
Examples	"The tree stump serves as a table" "The female students served as a control group" "This table would serve very well" "His freedom served him well"
Synonym	function
Narrower	act as	Function as or act like
Narrower	prelude	Serve as a prelude or opening to
Broader	suffice, do, answer, serve	Be sufficient
Similar to	service, serve	Be used by
Spanish	ejercer, servir
Catalan	exercir, fer de, servir

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 2, competition
Meaning	Do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function.
Pattern	Somebody ----s; Somebody ----s PP
Examples	"He served as head of the department for three years" "She served in Congress for two terms"
Narrower	act	Discharge one's duties
	caddie, caddy	act as a caddie and carry clubs for a player
	officiate, function	Perform duties attached to a particular office or place or function
	represent	Be a delegate or spokesperson for
	rotate	Perform a job or duty on a rotating basis
	sit	Serve in a specific professional capacity
	staff	Serve on the staff of
Broader	work, do work	Be employed
Similar to	serve	Do military service
Spanish	ejercer
Catalan	exercir

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 3, stative
Meaning	contribute or conduce to.
Pattern	Something is ----ing PP; Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Example	"The scandal served to increase his popularity"
Narrower	help, facilitate	Be of use
Broader	effect, effectuate, set up	produce
Similar to	serve, serve well	Promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to
Spanish	servir

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 4, social
Meaning	Be used by; as of a utility.
Pattern	Something is ----ing PP; Something ----s somebody; Something ----s something; Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Examples	"The sewage plant served the neighboring communities" "The garage served to shelter his horses"
Synonym	service
Broader	function, work, operate, go, run	Perform as expected when applied
Similar to	serve, function	Serve a purpose, role, or function
Spanish	atender, servir
Catalan	servir

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 5, consumption
Meaning	Help to some food; help with food or drink.
Pattern	Somebody ----s somebody
Model	Sam cannot serve Sue
Example	"I served him three times, and after that he helped himself"
Synonym	help
Broader	provide, supply, ply, cater	Give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance
Similar to	serve, serve up, dish out, dish up, dish	Provide (usually but not necessarily food)
Spanish	servir
Catalan	servir
Nouns	server	utensil used in serving food or drink
	server	a person whose occupation is to serve at table (as in a restaurant)
	serving	an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 6, consumption
Meaning	Provide (usually but not necessarily food).
Pattern	Somebody ----s something
Model	The chefs serve the vegetables
Examples	"We serve meals for the homeless" "The entertainers served up a lively show"
Synonyms	serve up, dish out, dish up, dish
Narrower	plank	cook and serve on a plank
Broader	provide, supply, ply, cater	Give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance
Similar to	serve, help	Help to some food
Spanish	servir
Catalan	servir

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 7, social
Meaning	devote (part of) one's life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s somebody
Examples	"She served the art of music" "He served the church" "serve the country"
Broader	work	Exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
Similar to	serve, attend to, wait on, attend, assist	Work for or be a servant to
Spanish	servir

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 8, stative
Meaning	Promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s somebody; Something ----s something
Examples	"Art serves commerce" "Their interests are served" "The lake serves recreation" "The President's wisdom has served the country well"
Synonym	serve well
Broader	foster, nurture	Help develop, help grow
Similar to	serve	contribute or conduce to
Spanish	servir para
Nouns	servant	in a subordinate position

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 9, stative
Meaning	spend time in prison or in a labor camp.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s PP
Synonym	do
Narrower	admit	Serve as a means of entrance
Broader	spend, pass	Pass time in a specific way
Spanish	servir
Catalan	servir

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 10, social
Meaning	Work for or be a servant to.
Pattern	Somebody ----s somebody; Somebody ----s somebody with something
Model	Sam cannot serve Sue
Examples	"May I serve you?" "The minister served the King for many years"
Synonyms	attend to, wait on, attend, assist
Narrower	fag	act as a servant for older boys, in British public schools
Narrower	valet	Serve as a personal attendant to
Broader	help, assist, aid	Give help or assistance
Similar to	serve	devote (part of) one's life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas
Spanish	asistir, atender, cuidar, ser útil, servir
Catalan	assistir, servir
Nouns	servant	a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
Nouns	servitor	someone who performs the duties of an attendant for someone else

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 11, contact
Meaning	deliver a warrant or summons to someone.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s somebody with something
Synonyms	process, swear out
Narrower	subpoena	Serve or summon with a subpoena
Narrower	wash, rinse	clean with some chemical process
Broader	deliver	Bring to a destination, make a delivery
Spanish	citar, notificar, procesar

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 12, stative
Meaning	Be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity.
Pattern	Something ----s
Example	"Nothing else will serve"
Synonyms	suffice, do, answer
Narrower	go a long way	suffice or be adequate for a while or to a certain extent
	go around	Be sufficient
	qualify, measure up	prove capable or fit
	serve, function	Serve a purpose, role, or function
	tide over, bridge over, keep going	suffice for a period between two points
Broader	satisfy, fulfill, fulfil, live up to	Meet the requirements or expectations of
Spanish	bastar
Catalan	bastar

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 13, social
Meaning	Do military service.
Pattern	Somebody ----s
Examples	"She served in Vietnam" "My sons never served, because they are short-sighted "
Broader	work, do work	Be employed
Similar to	serve	Do duty or hold offices

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 14, contact
Meaning	mate with.
Pattern	Something ----s something
Example	"male animals serve the females for breeding purposes"
Synonym	service
Narrower	stand	Be available for stud services
Broader	copulate, mate, pair, couple	Engage in sexual intercourse
Spanish	seducir

English > *serve*: 16 senses > verb 15, competition
Meaning	put the ball into play.
Pattern	Somebody ----s
Example	"It was Agassi's turn to serve"
Category	court game	An athletic game played on a court
Narrower	ace	Serve an ace against (someone)
Broader	move, go	Have a turn
Spanish	sacar, servir
Nouns	serve	(sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play
Nouns	server	(court games) the player who serves to start a point

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