serve
🇺🇸
/sɜːrv/
🇬🇧
/sɜːv/
verb
A2
to present food or drink to someone, like in a restaurant or at home
The waiter will serve the food to you.
R
to be enough for a certain number of people
This cake will serve four people.
A2
to work in a shop and help customers buy things
She is serving customers at the store.
B2
to be helpful or useful for a purpose or need
The information served its purpose.
B2
to provide a place with something it needs, like services or products
The city is well served by public transport.
B2
to work for someone or an organization, or to do one's duty
He served his country as a soldier.
R
to act as a substitute for something else, especially when needed
The chair will serve as a table for now.
R
to have a particular outcome or effect
The joke served to lighten the mood.
R
to spend time in prison as a punishment
He served time for his crimes.
R
to formally give someone a legal document, like a court summons
The police served him with a warrant.
R
to start a game by hitting the ball
She served the ball with power.
noun
R
the act of starting a game by hitting the ball to your opponent
He won the match without losing a single serve.
translation
to present food or drink to someone, like in a restaurant or at home; to be enough for a certain number of people; to work in a shop and help customers buy things; to be helpful or useful for a purpose or need; to provide a place with something it needs, like services or products; to work for someone or an organization, or to do one's duty; to act as a substitute for something else, especially when needed; to have a particular outcome or effect; to spend time in prison as a punishment; to formally give someone a legal document, like a court summons; to start a game by hitting the ball
the act of starting a game by hitting the ball to your opponent
Word Forms
3rd Present
serves
Progressive
serving
Past
served
Perfect
served
Plural
serves