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.
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.
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.
