service

[ sur-vis ]

/ ˈsɜr vɪs /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR service ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an act of helpful activity; help; aid: to do someone a service.

the supplying or supplier of utilities or commodities, as water, electricity, or gas, required or demanded by the public.

the providing or a provider of accommodation and activities required by the public, as maintenance, repair, etc.: The manufacturer guarantees service and parts.

the organized system of apparatus, appliances, employees, etc., for supplying some accommodation required by the public: a television repair service.

the supplying or a supplier of public communication and transportation: telephone service; bus service.

the performance of duties or the duties performed as or by a waiter or servant; occupation or employment as a waiter or servant.

employment in any duties or work for a person, organization, government, etc.

a department of public employment, an administrative division of a government, or the body of public servants in it: the diplomatic service.

the duty or work of public servants.

the serving of a sovereign, state, or government in some official capacity.

Military.

the armed forces: in the service.
a branch of the armed forces, as the army or navy: Which service were you in during the war?

Ordnance. the actions required in loading and firing a cannon: service of the piece.

Often services. the performance of any duties or work for another; helpful or professional activity: medical services.

something made or done by a commercial organization for the public benefit and without regard to direct profit: Certain books are published at a loss as a public service.

Also called divine service. public religious worship according to prescribed form and order.

a ritual or form prescribed for public worship or for some particular occasion: the marriage service.

the serving of God by obedience, piety, etc.: voluntary service.

a musical setting of the sung portions of a liturgy.

a set of dishes, utensils, etc., for general table use or for particular use: a tea service; service for eight.

answering service.

Law. the serving of a process or writ upon a person.

Nautical. tarred spun yarn or other small stuff for covering the exterior of a rope.

(in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.)

the act or manner of putting the ball or shuttlecock into play; serve.
the ball or shuttlecock as put into play.

the mating of a female animal with the male.

adjective

of service; useful.

of, relating to, or used by servants, delivery people, etc., or in serving food: service stairs; the service pieces in a set of dishes.

supplying aids or services rather than products or goods: Medicine is one of the service professions.

supplying maintenance and repair: He operates a service center for electrical appliances.

of, for, or pertaining to the armed forces of a country or one of them: a service academy.

charged for providing service: a service fee of 15 percent on the restaurant check.

providing, authorizing, or guaranteeing service: a service industry; a service contract.

verb (used with object), serv·iced, serv·ic·ing.

to make fit for use; repair; restore to condition for service: to service an automobile.

to supply with aid, information, or other incidental services.

(of a male animal) to mate with (a female animal).

Finance. to pay off (a debt) over a period of time, as by meeting periodic interest payments.

Idioms for service

at someone's service, ready to be of help or use to someone; at one's disposal: You will have an English-speaking guide at your service.

be of service, to be helpful or useful: If we can be of service, do not hesitate to call.

Origin of service

before 1100; Middle English (noun) < Old French < Latin servitium servitude, equivalent to serv(us) slave + -itium -ice; replacing Middle English servise, late Old English serfise ceremony < Old French servise, variant of service

OTHER WORDS FROM service

un·serv·iced, adjective

Words nearby service

server, servery, servetus, servia, servian, service, service ace, service area, service book, service break, service cap

Definition for service (2 of 3)

service ²

[ sur-vis ]

/ ˈsɜr vɪs /

noun

a service tree, especially Sorbus domestica.

the shadbush.

Origin of service

1520–30; earlier serves, plural of obsolete serve service tree; Middle English; Old English syrfe < Vulgar Latin *sorbea, derivative of Latin sorbus sorb¹

Definition for service (3 of 3)

Service

[ sur-vis ]

/ ˈsɜr vɪs /

noun

Robert W(illiam),1874–1958, Canadian writer, born in England.

Example sentences from the Web for service

Yazbek tells The Daily Beast that the traffickers guarantee their service, and they treat the Syrian refugees with respect.

Ghost Ships of the Mediterranean |Barbie Latza Nadeau |January 6, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Like any service for hire, it is extremely important for the traffickers to provide a reputable service, criminal as it is.

Ghost Ships of the Mediterranean |Barbie Latza Nadeau |January 6, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
A soldier in the service of ideals and aspirations that formed his core.

Mario Cuomo, Always Moving Us Toward the Light |Mike Barnicle |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
In the name of protecting passengers, however, tourists in Las Vegas are unable to take advantage of this service.

Why Do ‘Progressives’ Want to Ban Uber and AirBnB? |Adam Thierer, Christopher Koopman |December 30, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

The other narrative is of mobility in the service of ambition.

Will Texas Stay Texan? |David Fontana |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Every horse that can stand up is pressed into service for the day.

Worldly Ways and Byways |Eliot Gregory
But Chesterton's taste for bigness has come to his service in criticism.

G. K. Chesterton, A Critical Study |Julius West
This shall apply to his escort and retinue and to all who come and go in his service.

A Source Book for Mediaeval History |Oliver J. Thatcher
Long years of service done for him, however, had made him clumsy.

Dangerous Days |Mary Roberts Rinehart
Yes, and much good he'll do the King's service; he'll eat for six and run for sixteen.

Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc |Mark Twain

British Dictionary definitions for service (1 of 3)

service ¹

/ (ˈsɜːvɪs) /

noun

an act of help or assistance

an organized system of labour and material aids used to supply the needs of the public telephone service; bus service

the supply, installation, or maintenance of goods carried out by a dealer

the state of availability for use by the public (esp in the phrases into or out of service)

a periodic overhaul made on a car, machine, etc

the act or manner of serving guests, customers, etc, in a shop, hotel, restaurant, etc

a department of public employment and its employees civil service

employment in or performance of work for another he has been in the service of our firm for ten years

the work of a public servant

one of the branches of the armed forces
(as modifier)service life

the state, position, or duties of a domestic servant (esp in the phrase in service)

the act or manner of serving food

a complete set of dishes, cups, etc, for use at table

public worship carried out according to certain prescribed forms divine service

the prescribed form according to which a specific kind of religious ceremony is to be carried out the burial service

a unified collection of musical settings of the canticles and other liturgical items prescribed by the Book of Common Prayer as used in the Church of England

sport

the act, manner, or right of serving a ball
the game in which a particular player serveshe has lost his service Often shortened to: serve

(in feudal law) the duty owed by a tenant to his lord

the serving of a writ, summons, etc, upon a person

nautical a length of tarred marline or small stuff used in serving

(of male animals) the act of mating

(modifier) of, relating to, or for the use of servants or employees

(modifier) serving the public rather than producing goods

verb (tr)

to provide service or services

to make fit for use

to supply with assistance

to overhaul (a car, machine, etc)

(of a male animal) to mate with (a female)

British to meet interest and capital payments on (debt)

Word Origin for service

C12 servise, from Old French, from Latin servitium condition of a slave, from servus a slave

British Dictionary definitions for service (2 of 3)

service ²

/ (ˈsɜːvɪs) /

noun

See service tree

British Dictionary definitions for service (3 of 3)

Service

/ ('sɜːvɪs) /

noun

Robert (William). 1874–1958, Canadian poet, born in England; noted for his ballad-like poems of gold-rush era Yukon, such as 'The Shooting of Dan McGrew'; his books include Songs of a Sourdough (1907)

Idioms and Phrases with service

service

see at someone's service; break someone's serve (service); lip service; of service to someone; press into service.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

service