serving

[ sur-ving ]

/ ˈsɜr vɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR serving ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of a person or thing that serves.

a single portion of food or drink; helping.

Electricity. a layer of material, as jute yarn or tape, that is applied to the core or the exterior of a lead-covered cable and acts as a protective covering.

adjective

for use in distributing food to or at the table: a serving tray.

Origin of serving

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at serve, -ing¹

OTHER WORDS FROM serving

un·serv·ing, adjective

Words nearby serving

servicewoman, servient tenement, serviette, servile, servile work, serving, servite, servitor, servitude, servius tullius, servlet

Definition for serving (2 of 2)

serve

[ surv ]

/ sɜrv /

verb (used without object), served, serv·ing.

to act as a servant.

to wait on table, as a waiter.

to offer or have a meal or refreshments available, as for patrons or guests: Come early, we're serving at six.

to offer or distribute a portion or portions of food or a beverage, as a host or hostess: It was her turn to serve at the faculty tea.

to render assistance; be of use; help.

to go through a term of service, do duty as a soldier, sailor, senator, juror, etc.

to have definite use: This cup will serve as a sugar bowl.

to answer the purpose: That will serve to explain my actions.

(in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put the ball or shuttlecock in play with a stroke, swing, or hit.

to be favorable, suitable, or convenient, as weather or time.

Ecclesiastical. to act as a server.

verb (used with object), served, serv·ing.

to be in the service of; work for.

to be useful or of service to; help.

to go through (a term of service, imprisonment, etc.).

to render active service to (a sovereign, commander, etc.).

to render obedience or homage to (God, a sovereign, etc.).

to perform the duties of (a position, an office, etc.): to serve his mayoralty.

to answer the requirements of; suffice: This will serve our needs for the moment.

to contribute to; promote: to serve a cause.

to wait upon at table; act as a waiter or waitress to.

to carry and distribute (portions of food or drink) to a patron or a specific table, as a waiter or waitress.

to act as a host or hostess in offering (a person) a portion of food or drink: May I serve you with some tea and cake?

to act as a host or hostess in offering or distributing (a portion or portions of food or drink) to another: They served tea and cake to their guests.

to provide with a regular or continuous supply of something.

(in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to put (the ball or shuttlecock) in play.

to treat in a specified manner: That served him ill.

Law.

to make legal delivery of (a process or writ).
to present (a person) with a writ.

to gratify (desire, wants, needs, etc.).

(of a male animal) to mate with; service.

to operate or keep in action (a gun, artillery, etc.).

Nautical. to wrap (a rope) tightly with small stuff, keeping the turns as close together as possible.

noun

the act, manner, or right of serving, as in tennis.

Origin of serve

1125–75; Middle English serven < Old French servir < Latin servīre, equivalent to serv(us) slave (cf. serf) + -īre infinitive suffix

SYNONYMS FOR serve

1, 2 attend.

5 aid, succor.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR serve ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM serve

serv·a·ble, serve·a·ble, adjective o·ver·serve, verb (used with object) un·der·served, adjective un·serv·a·ble, adjective

un·served, adjective well-served, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for serving

Veterans are a small minority of the population, as well, serving the greater whole.

A Veteran’s View: NYC Cold War Between Cops and City Hall |Matt Gallagher |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It invites dictatorial and rogue regimes to use Americans serving overseas as bargaining chips.

Aging Cuban Exiles And Their Lawmakers Bypassed by White House |Romina Ruiz-Goiriena |December 17, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Brown had been serving a life sentence; McCollum had been on Death Row.

How the U.S. Justice System Screws Prisoners with Disabilities |Elizabeth Picciuto |December 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The policies that followed were not serving democratic demands.

The Media's Pro-Torture Cheerleaders |Jedediah Purdy |December 10, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

In the West Bank, serving time in Israeli jails is a badge of honor.

Palestinian Cabinet Member Dies in Confrontation with Israeli Soldier |Creede Newton |December 10, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The flagrant impossibility of its serving any other purpose, had preserved it in its pristine splendor.

The Real Adventure |Henry Kitchell Webster
Of course, the real force of the aim lies in its serving as the focus of thought.

Principles of Teaching |Adam S. Bennion
Stranger still, this regiment is the same as that in which poor Anastasius is serving—the Royal Picts.

The Thin Red Line; and Blue Blood |Arthur Griffiths
He was studious of serving his country to the very last, and the sorrow of the people seemed equal to his assiduity.

Pinnock's Improved Edition of Dr. Goldsmith's History of Rome |Oliver Goldsmith
On that day he was responsible for the dinner,—the cooking, catering, buying and serving.

Days of the Discoverers |L. Lamprey

British Dictionary definitions for serving (1 of 2)

serving

/ (ˈsɜːvɪŋ) /

noun

a portion or helping of food or drink

British Dictionary definitions for serving (2 of 2)

serve

/ (sɜːv) /

verb

to be in the service of (a person)

to render or be of service to (a person, cause, etc); help

(in a shop) to give (customers) information about articles for sale and to hand over articles purchased

(tr) to provide (guests, customers, etc) with food, drink, etc she served her guests with cocktails

to distribute or provide (food, drink, etc) for guests, customers, etc do you serve coffee?

(tr sometimes foll by up) to present (food, drink, etc) in a specified manner cauliflower served with cheese sauce

(tr) to provide with a regular supply of

(tr) to work actively for to serve the government

(tr) to pay homage to to serve God

to answer the requirements of; suit this will serve my purpose

(intr; may take an infinitive) to have a use; function this wood will serve to build a fire

to go through (a period of service, enlistment, imprisonment, etc)

(intr) (of weather, conditions, etc) to be favourable or suitable

Also: service (tr) (of a male animal) to copulate with (a female animal)

sport to put (the ball) into play

(intr) RC Church to act as server at Mass or other services

(tr) to deliver (a legal document, esp a writ or summons) to (a person)

to provide (a machine, etc) with an impulse or signal for control purposes or with a continuous supply of fuel, working material, etc

(tr) nautical to bind (a rope, spar, etc) with wire or fine cord to protect it from chafing, etc See also seize (def. 8)

serve a person right informal to pay a person back, esp for wrongful or foolish treatment or behaviour

noun

sport short for service 1 (def. 17)

Australian a portion or helping of food or drink

Derived forms of serve

servable or serveable, adjective

Word Origin for serve

C13: from Old French servir, from Latin servīre, from servus a slave

Idioms and Phrases with serving

serve

In addition to the idioms beginning with serve

serve a purpose
serve one right
serve time
serve up

also see:

break someone's serve
first come, first served
hand to on a silver platter (serve up on a plate)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

serving

noun

adjective

Origin of serving

OTHER WORDS FROM serving

Words nearby serving

Definition for serving (2 of 2)

verb (used without object), served, serv·ing.

verb (used with object), served, serv·ing.

noun

Origin of serve

SYNONYMS FOR serve

OTHER WORDS FROM serve

Example sentences from the Web for serving

British Dictionary definitions for serving (1 of 2)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for serving (2 of 2)

verb

noun

Derived forms of serve

Word Origin for serve

Idioms and Phrases with serving

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

serving

noun

adjective

Origin of serving

OTHER WORDS FROM serving

Words nearby serving

Definition for serving (2 of 2)

verb (used without object), served, serv·ing.

verb (used with object), served, serv·ing.

noun

Origin of serve

SYNONYMS FOR serve

OTHER WORDS FROM serve

Words related to serving

Example sentences from the Web for serving

British Dictionary definitions for serving (1 of 2)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for serving (2 of 2)

verb

noun

Derived forms of serve

Word Origin for serve

Idioms and Phrases with serving