serve
verb
sɜːv 
sɜːrv food/drink
1 [transitive, intransitive] to give somebody food or drink, for example at a restaurant or during a mealserve (something) Breakfast is served between 7 and 10 a.m.Pour the sauce over the pasta and serve immediately.Shall I serve?serve something with something Serve the lamb with new potatoes and green beans.serve something to somebody They served a wonderful meal to more than fifty delegates.serve somebody with something The delegates were served with a wonderful meal.serve somebody something She served us a delicious lunch.serve something + adjective The quiche can be served hot or cold.2 [transitive] serve somebody/something (of an amount of food) to be enough for somebody/somethingThis dish will serve four hungry people.customers
3 [transitive, intransitive] serve (somebody) (especially British English) to help a customer or sell them something in a shop/storeAre you being served?She was serving behind the counter.be useful
4 [transitive] serve something/somebody to be useful to somebody in achieving or satisfying somethingThese experiments serve no useful purpose.Most of their economic policies serve the interests of big business.How can we best serve the needs of future generations?His linguistic ability served him well in his chosen profession.provide something
5 [transitive] to provide an area or a group of people with a product or serviceserve somebody/something The centre will serve the whole community.serve somebody/something with something The town is well served with buses and major road links.be suitable
6 [intransitive] serve (as something) to be suitable for a particular use, especially when nothing else is availableThe sofa will serve as a bed for a night or two.have particular result
7 [intransitive, transitive] to have a particular effect or resultserve as something The judge said the punishment would serve as a warning to others.serve to do something The attack was unsuccessful and served only to alert the enemy.work
8 [intransitive, transitive] to work or perform duties for a person, an organization, a country, etcserve (as something) He served as a captain in the army.serve in/on/with something She served in the medical corps.serve under/with somebody He served under Edward Heath in the 1970s.serve something I wanted to work somewhere where I could serve the community.serve somebody (as something) He served the family faithfully for many years (= as a servant).9 [transitive, intransitive] to spend a period of time in a particular job or training for a jobserve something He served a one-year apprenticeship.serve as something She was elected to serve as secretary of the local party.time in prison
10 [transitive] serve something to spend a period of time in prisonprisoners serving life sentencesShe is serving two years for theft.He has served time (= been to prison) before.official document
11 [transitive] (law) to give or send somebody an official document, especially one that orders them to appear in courtserve something (on somebody) to serve a writ/summons on somebodyserve somebody with something to serve somebody with a writ/summonsin sport
12 [intransitive, transitive] (in tennis, etc.) to start playing by throwing the ball into the air and hitting itWho's serving?serve something She served an ace.Idioms
it serves somebody right (for doing something)
used to say that something that has happened to somebody is their own fault and they deserve it
Left you, did she? It serves you right for being so selfish.serve your/its turn
(British English) to be useful for a particular purpose or period of timeserve two masters
(usually used in negative sentences) to support two opposing parties, principles, etc. at the same timePhrasal verbs
out