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1. An individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal
   "there's enough for two servings each"
   - helping, portion
    
2. The act of delivering a writ or summons upon someone
   - service, service of process

1. Serve a purpose, role, or function
   "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"
   - function
    
2. Do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function
   "He served as head of the department for three years"; "She served in Congress for two terms"
    
3. Contribute or conduce to
   "The scandal served to increase his popularity"
    
4. Be used by; as of a utility
   "The sewage plant served the neighbouring communities"; "The garage served to shelter his horses"
   - service
    
5. Help to some food; help with food or drink
   "I served him three times, and after that he helped himself"
   - help
    
6. Provide (usually but not necessarily food)
   "We serve meals for the homeless"; "The entertainers served up a lively show"
   - serve up, dish out, dish up, dish
    
7. Devote (part of) one's life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas
   "She served the art of music"; "He served the church"; "serve the country"
    
8. Promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to
   "Art serves commerce"; "Their interests are served"; "The lake serves recreation"; "The President's wisdom has served the country well"
   - serve well
    
9. Spend time in prison or in a labour camp
   - do
    
10. Work for or be a servant to
    "May I serve you?"; "The minister served the King for many years"
    - attend to, wait on, attend, assist
     
11. Deliver a warrant or summons to someone
    - process, swear out
     
12. Be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
    "Nothing else will serve"
    - suffice, do, answer
     
13. Do military service
    "She served in Vietnam"; "My sons never served, because they are short-sighted"
     
14. Mate with
    "male animals serve the females for breeding purposes"
    - service
     
15. Put the ball into play
    "It was Agassi's turn to serve"

Derived forms: servings

See also: servant, server, servitor [archaic]

Type of: aid, assist, bringing, cater, copulate, couple, deliver, delivery, do work, effect, effectuate, foster, fulfil [Brit, Cdn], fulfill [N. Amer], function, go, help, live up to, mate, move, nurture, operate, pair, pass, ply, provide, run, satisfy, set up, small indefinite amount, small indefinite quantity, spend, supply, work

Part of: meal, repast

Encyclopedia: Serve