to give someone food or drink, especially as part of a meal or in a restaurant, to work for; to be employed by, to help achieve something; to be useful, to spend a period of time in prison

serve somebody right, serve up something, serve somebody with papers

serve the purpose, serve one right, serve notice

Formal and Informal Expressions of serve

In different contexts, you can replace 'serve' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'provide, offer' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'dish out, hook up, fix up' is a commonplace synonym.

serve: Explore its Definition & Usage

serve Definition

1to give someone food or drink, especially as part of a meal or in a restaurant
2to work for; to be employed by
3to help achieve something; to be useful
4to spend a period of time in prison

Using serve: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "serve" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
Can I serve you some coffee?
Example
He served in the army for five years.
Example
This tool can serve multiple purposes.
Example
He was sentenced to serve three years in prison.

serve Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for serve

Antonyms for serve

Idioms Using serve

serve somebody right
used to say that someone deserves something bad that has happened to them
Example
He was caught cheating on the test. It serves him right that he failed.
serve up something
to provide or offer something, especially food or drink
Example
She served up a delicious meal for her guests.
serve somebody with papers
to officially deliver legal documents to someone
Example
The lawyer served the defendant with the court papers.

Phrases with serve

serve the purpose
to be useful for a particular task or goal
Example
This old computer may not be fast, but it will serve the purpose for basic tasks.
serve one right
to deserve what has happened to oneself, often used in a negative sense
Example
He lost his job because he was always late. It serves him right.
serve notice
to officially inform someone about something, usually related to ending a contract or agreement
Example
The landlord served notice to the tenants to vacate the apartment.

Origins of serve

from Old French 'servir', from Latin 'servire', meaning 'to be a slave'

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Summary: serve in Brief

The verb 'serve' [sɜːv] has several meanings. It can refer to giving food or drink, working for someone, being useful, or spending time in prison. Examples include 'Can I serve you some coffee?' and 'He was sentenced to serve three years in prison.' 'Serve' also appears in phrases like 'serve the purpose,' and idioms like 'serve somebody right,' indicating deserving punishment, and 'serve up something,' meaning to provide something, especially food or drink.