service
A1Neutral to formal, depending on context. Highly versatile across registers.
Definition
Meaning
The action of helping or doing work for someone; a system or organization that provides something needed by the public.
Can refer to a religious ceremony, a set of dishes, employment in the armed forces, a legal delivery of documents, a period of maintenance for machinery, or the act of serving in sports like tennis.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun, but can be used as a verb and attributive adjective. The meaning shifts significantly based on context (e.g., customer service vs. military service). The verb form often implies maintenance or provision.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'service' is commonly used for 'servicing' a car (maintenance). In the US, 'military service' is more specific, while 'public service' can refer to government jobs. The phrase 'in service' for a vehicle/train being operational is more common in UK English.
Connotations
Generally similar positive connotations of help and duty. In UK, 'the services' can colloquially refer to the armed forces.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both varieties. Slight edge in business contexts in American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
provide a service to sbbe in serviceput sth into serviceservice a car/machinedo sb a serviceVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to be at someone's service”
- “to do someone a service”
- “to press into service”
- “to see service (military)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to intangible products, customer support, or the tertiary economic sector (e.g., 'The company's after-sales service is excellent.').
Academic
Used in sociology (public services), economics (service sector), and law (service of process).
Everyday
Common for restaurants, repairs, and utilities (e.g., 'The bus service is unreliable.', 'I'm taking the car in for a service.').
Technical
In IT, a background process (daemon); in law, the formal delivery of documents; in engineering, scheduled maintenance.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I need to service my boiler before winter.
- The technician will service the lifts on Tuesday.
American English
- The company services all major appliances.
- We service accounts across the Midwest.
adjective
British English
- Please use the service entrance at the rear.
- The service charge is included in the bill.
American English
- The service elevator is for staff only.
- We offer a service contract for peace of mind.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The hotel has good room service.
- The bus service to the city is frequent.
- Customer service representatives are available 24/7.
- He did voluntary service abroad after university.
- The software runs as a background service on the server.
- The chapel holds a morning service every Sunday.
- The plaintiff effected service of the writ via recorded delivery.
- The veteran saw active service in three conflict zones.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a waiter SERving VICE (a substitute) – they are serving you instead of you doing it yourself, which is a SERVICE.
Conceptual Metaphor
SERVICE IS A PRODUCT (buying a service), SERVICE IS A DUTY (military service), SERVICE IS MAINTENANCE (car service).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'customer service' as 'обслуживание клиентов' in every context; in business titles, it's often 'сервис'.
- The verb 'to service' (a machine) is not 'обслуживать' in the sense of helping a person, but rather 'технически обслуживать'.
- 'Service' in 'religious service' is 'богослужение', not 'сервис'.
- The phrase 'in service' (e.g., a train) is 'в эксплуатации', not 'в сервисе'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'service' as a countable noun when it's uncountable in some contexts (e.g., 'He does a great service' vs. 'He provides great service').
- Confusing 'service' (noun) with 'serve' (verb) in sports contexts.
- Misspelling as 'survice'.
- Overusing the verb form in non-technical contexts.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'service' used as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. It's uncountable when referring to the general concept of helping (e.g., 'good service'). It's countable when referring to a specific system or instance (e.g., 'a bus service', 'several services').
'Serve' is broader: to provide food/drink, to be useful, to spend time in an organization. 'Service' as a verb is more technical: to perform maintenance, to provide a professional function for (e.g., service a client's account). You 'serve' a customer, but you 'service' their car or their financial needs.
It's a formal phrase meaning 'useful or helpful'. Example: 'Can I be of service?' is a polite way to ask if you can help someone.
In English, 'c' followed by 'e', 'i', or 'y' is typically soft (/s/). This rule applies to 'service'. Compare with 'serve', where the 'e' after the 'v' also softens the 'c'.
Collections
Part of a collection
Work and Jobs
A2 · 49 words · Jobs, professions and the world of work.
Business Vocabulary
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Crime and Justice
B1 · 46 words · Vocabulary for law, crime and the justice system.