serve
B1Neutral (used across all registers)
Definition
Meaning
To perform duties or provide a service for; to give food or drink to someone.
To be useful or suitable for a purpose; to complete a period of time in a role (e.g., prison, office); to start play in sports like tennis.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb 'serve' often implies a subservient or functional role. It has a wide semantic range covering duty, assistance, utility, and sports.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor differences in legal/formal phrasing (e.g., 'served with a summons' vs. 'served a summons') and specific collocations in sports contexts (e.g., 'serve to the forehand' vs. 'serve on the ad court').
Connotations
In both varieties, the term is neutral but can carry connotations of subservience when referring to people. In business contexts, 'serving a customer' is standard and positive.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties; no significant divergence.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
serve + object (He serves customers.)serve + as + noun (She serves as manager.)serve + object + with + object (They served him with papers.)serve + to-infinitive (This serves to illustrate the point.)serve + up/out (Serve up the dinner.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Serve someone right”
- “First come, first served”
- “Serve two masters”
- “Serve time”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To provide a service or product to a client (e.g., 'Our company serves the healthcare sector.').
Academic
To function or be used as something (e.g., 'This model serves as a useful framework.').
Everyday
To give food/drink or to be useful (e.g., 'Can you serve the salad?' or 'This box will serve as a table.').
Technical
In sports, to start play by hitting the ball; in computing, to make data available (e.g., 'The server serves the requested file.').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He has served on the parish council for a decade.
- Could you serve the pudding, please?
- She will serve her sentence at a low-security prison.
American English
- He served in the Marines for four years.
- The waiter will serve your appetizers shortly.
- This incident serves to highlight a major flaw in the system.
adverb
British English
- N/A - 'Serve' is not used as an adverb.
American English
- N/A - 'Serve' is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The serve volley was a key part of his game.
- No specific common adjective use beyond compounds like 'serve-and-volley'.
American English
- His second serve was an ace.
- The service line is for the serve in tennis.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She serves breakfast at 8 AM.
- He serves in a shop.
- This tool serves many purposes.
- They served us a delicious meal.
- The old building now serves as a community centre.
- He was served with an eviction notice last week.
- Her research serves to challenge long-held assumptions in the field.
- Having served on several high-profile committees, she brought valuable experience to the role.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A waiter SERves you at a restaurant. SERVE has SER in it, like SERvice.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROVIDING A SERVICE IS SERVING (a meal, a sentence, a purpose).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Confusing with 'to work' (работать). 'Serve' implies a specific service or role, not general employment.
- Over-literal translation of 'serve a purpose' as *служить цель instead of the correct 'служить цели' or 'быть полезным'.
- Mixing up 'serve' and 'deserve'. 'Serve' is about providing, 'deserve' (заслуживать) is about merit.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *I served in a restaurant as a chef. (A chef cooks, a waiter serves.)
- Incorrect: *This serves for storage. (Correct: This serves AS storage or is used FOR storage.)
- Incorrect preposition: *He served to the army. (Correct: He served IN the army.)
Practice
Quiz
In the context of a legal notice, what does 'to serve' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Serve' is broader (serve food, serve a purpose, serve in army). 'Service' as a verb is more specific, often meaning to maintain or repair (service a car) or to pay interest on (service a debt).
It is primarily dynamic (an action you do), but can be stative in meanings like 'This serves as an example', where it describes a state/function.
Common patterns: serve IN (an organisation), serve ON (a committee), serve AS (a role), serve WITH (an official document or alongside someone).
Yes, very commonly, especially in formal/legal contexts (e.g., 'He was served with a writ', 'Dinner is served').
Collections
Part of a collection
Food and Cooking
A2 · 50 words · Cooking methods, kitchen tools and recipes.