serve

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   An act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games.

   • Whose serve is it?
   • He had no power serve of his own, no backhand, no volley, no lob, no idea of pace or tactics.
   • The first serve of the game is from the right half court to the half diagonally opposite.
2. 2

   A portion of food or drink, a serving.

   • The night before your event, base your evening meal on high-carbohydrate foods with a small serve of lean protein.
   • Come here for a cappuccino that could hold its own on Via Veneto in Rome (€2) and a serve of their crunchy fresh cheese börek.
   • Reintroduce protein; add a small serve of salmon, tuna or sardines every second day (tinned variety or fresh).
3. 3

   An impressive presentation (especially of a person's appearance).

   • That white eyeliner is such a serve.
   • And, of course, there’s the video, which didn’t need to be such a serve since the song slapped so hard. But, it’s still iconic years later.
   • Taking a private jet in the middle of a pandemic is not the serve you think it is KenToya! What is a serve is the hazmat jumpsuit Marlo wears for the sprinter. Fashion x Covid Safety realness.
4. ›+ 14 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To provide a service (or, by extension, a product, especially food or drink).

      • And yet this is not the office of a Priest, but of Him whom the Priest should serve.
   2. 5

      To treat (someone) in a given manner.

      • Herein thou haſt done good ſeruice to thy country: VVere all inhumaine ſlaues ſo ſerued as he, England would be ciuill, and from all ſuch dealings free.
      • I mock them all who have served me ill of late and chiefly this cheat of Judah, whose temple we have plundered and whose golden vessels are my wash-pots.
   3. 6

      To be suitor to

      To be suitor to; to be the lover of.

      • That gentle Lady, whom I loue and serue.
   4. 7

      To be effective.

      • Will somebody please explain to these people that the values of cultural diversity are not served by an ad placing a menorah under a fucking Christmas tree!
      • So, while the sycophantic liberal media calls any and all opposition to Obama racist, they give Obama carte blanche to exploit his race whenever it serves his purpose.
   5. 8

      To deliver a document in such a way that the recipient can be legally considered to be…

      To deliver a document in such a way that the recipient can be legally considered to be informed of it.

      • a document served on the tenant
      • On the morning of February 28, 1993, ATF agents gathered at a staging area near Waco and prepared to serve a search warrant on the Branch Davidians' residence.
   6. 9

      To lead off with the first delivery over the net in tennis, volleyball, ping pong,…

      To lead off with the first delivery over the net in tennis, volleyball, ping pong, badminton etc.

      • In women's tennis the need to serve more effectively has become greater in recent years because the game is being played more aggressively, and rallies are becoming shorter as a result.
   7. 10

      To copulate with (of male animals)

      To copulate with (of male animals); to cover.

      • Conception means that a cow is served by a bull and that she becomes pregnant.
   8. 11

      To be in military service.

      • Some reports suggested he would quit the army if he was not allowed to serve abroad in a war zone.
   9. 12

      To work, to operate (a weapon).

      • John T. Greble, of the 2d regular artillery, was likewise killed instantly by a ball through the head, while serving his gun in the face of the foe.
   10. 13

       To work through (a given period of time in prison, a sentence).

       • The Guangzhou Daily reported that Shi Chunlong, 20, who organised the incident, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Hou Bin, who pulled out of the attack after helping to plan it, will serve 12 years.
   11. 14

       To wind spun yarn etc. tightly around (a rope or cable, etc.) so as to protect it from…

       To wind spun yarn etc. tightly around (a rope or cable, etc.) so as to protect it from chafing or from the weather.

   12. 15

       To perform (a public obligation).

       • I've received a summons for jury duty. It says I serve one day or one trial.
       • She served the office of mayor five years ago.
   13. 16

       To provide crack cocaine (to), usually by selling, dealing, or distributing.

       • Once I began selling crack, money was no issue. I would be out 2-3 days at a time, up for 24 hours a day. It was a full time job, serving crack fiends.
       • Tim told her that she could make a little money on the side by serving crack-cocaine.
       • They'd serve cocaine, and you'd sit there, and base this cocaine. And you'd have an ounce gone in 24 hours.
   14. 17

       To present an attractive personal appearance.

       • […] Angela Bassett, serving for the gods in regal headdresses and flowing white dreadlocks as T'Challa's mother, […]

The neighborhood

• synonymattendto be a servant to
• synonymbestand
• synonymwait on
• synonymaid
• synonymattend to
• synonymawait
• synonymbestead
• synonymdance attendance
• synonymdo
• synonymdo for
• synonymserve
• synonymservice
• antonymreceiveantonym(s) of
• antonymgovern
• antonymorder
• antonymrule
• neighborconserve
• neighbordeserve
• neighborpreserve
• neighborreserve
• neighborsubserve
• neighborattendant
• neighborhelp
• neighborobey
• neighborcarry someone's water
• neighborwait on hand and foot
• neighborapprentice
• neighborbuttle