Serve (?), v. 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 serves, this noble queen
And prince shall follow with a
fresh supply.
Shak. 5. (Tennis) To lead off in
delivering the ball.
Serve (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Served (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Serving.]
[OE. serven,
servien, OF. & F.
servir, fr. L. servire; akin to servus a servant or
slave, servare to protect, preserve, observe; cf. Zend har to protect, haurva
protecting. Cf. Conserve, Desert merit, Dessert, Observe,
Serf, Sergeant.] 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 served my God with half
the zeal
I served my king, he would not in
mine age
Have left me
naked to mine enemies.
Shak.
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 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 shop.
Others, pampered in their shameless pride,
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.
Shak.
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 country.
7. To contribute or conduce to; to promote; to be sufficient for; to satisfy; as, to serve one's turn.
Turn 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 couch.
9. To treat; to behave one's
self to; to
requite; to act toward; as, he served me very ill.
10. To work; to operate; as, to serve the guns.
11. (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 subpœna.
12. To pass or spend, as time, esp. time of punishment; as, to serve a term in prison.
13. To copulate with; to cover; as, a horse serves a mare; -- said of the male.
14. (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 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 rations. -- To serve the time or 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.
Hear it pronounced