SERVE, v.t. serv. [L. servio. This verb is supposed to be from the noun servus, a servant or slave, and this from servo, to keep.]

1. To work for; to bestow the labor of boky and mind in the employment of another.

Jacob loved Rachel and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy youngest daughters. Gen. 29.

No man can serve two masters. Matt. 6.

2. To act as the minister of; to perform official duties to; as, a minister serves his prince.

Had I served God as diligently as I have served the king, he would not have given me over in my gray hairs. Cardinal Woolsey.

3. To attend at command; to wait on.

A goddess among gods, ador'd and serv'd

By anbels numberless, thy daily train. Milton.

4. To obey servilely or meanly. be not to wealth a servant.

5. To supply with food; as, to be served in plate.

6. To be subservient or subordinate to.

Bodies bright and greater should not serve

The less not bright. Milton.

7. To perform the duties required in; as, the curate served two churches.

8. To obey; to perform duties in the employment of; as, to serve the king or the country in the army or navy.

9. To be sufficient, or to promote; as, to serve one's turn, end or purpose.

10. To help by good offices; as, to serve one's country.

11. To comply with; to submit to.

They think herein we serve the time, because thereby we either hold or seek preferment. Hooker.

12. To be sufficient for; to satisfy; to content.

One half pint bottle serves them both to dine,

And is at once their vinegar and wine. Pope.

13. To be in the place of any thing to one. A sofa serves the Turks for a seat and a couch.

14. To treat; to requite; as, he served me ungratefully; he served me very ill; We say also, he served me a trick, that is he deceived me, or practiced an artifice on me.

15. In Scripture and theology, to obey and worship; to act in conformity to the law of a superior, and treat him with due reverence.

Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth. As for me and my house, we will serve the lord. Josh. 24.

16. In a bad sense, to obey; to yeild compliance or act according to.

1. To be a servant or slave. The Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve. – Is. xliii.
2. To be employed in labor or other business for another. – Gen. xxix.
3. To be in subjection. – Is. xliii.
4. To wait; to attend; to perform domestic offices to another. – Luke x.
5. To perform duties, as in the army, navy, or in any office. An officer serves five years in India, or under a particular commander. The late secretary of the colony, and afterward state, of Connecticut, was annually appointed, and served in the office sixty years.
6. To answer; to accomplish the end. She feared that all would not serve. – Sidney.
7. To be sufficient for a purpose. This little brand will serve to light your fire. – Dryden.
8. To suit; to be convenient. Take this, and use it as occasion serves.
9. To conduce; to be of use. Our victory only served to lead us on to further visionary prospects. – Swift.
10. To officiate or minister; to do the honors of; as, to serve at a public dinner.

1. To work for; to bestow the labor of body and mind in the employment of another. Jacob loved Rachel and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. – Gen. xxix. No man can serve two masters. – Matth. vi.
2. To act as the minister of; to perform official duties to; as, a minister serves his prince. Had I served God as diligently as I have served the king, he would not have given me over in my gray hairs. – Cardinal Wolsey.
3. To attend at command; to wait on. A goddess among gods, ador'd and serv'd / By angels numberless, thy daily train. – Milton.
4. To obey servilely or meanly. Be not to wealth a servant. – Denham.
5. To supply with food; as, to be served in plate. – Dryden.
6. To be subservient or subordinate to. Bodies bright and greater should not serve / The less not bright. – Milton.
7. To perform the duties required in; as, the curate served churches.
8. To obey; to perform duties in the employment of; as, to serve the king or the country in the army or navy.
9. To be sufficient to, or to promote; as, to serve one's turn, end or purpose. – Locke.
10. To help by good offices; as, to serve one's country. – Tate.
11. To comply with; to submit to. They think herein we serve the time, because thereby we either hold or seek preferment. – Hooker.
12. To be sufficient for; to satisfy; to content. One half pint bottle serves them both to dine, / And is at once their vinegar and wine. – Pope.
13. To be in the place of any thing to one. A sofa serves the Turks for a seat and a couch.
14. To treat; to requite; as, he served me ungratefully; he served me very ill. We say also, he served me a trick, that is, he deceived me, or practiced an artifice upon me.
15. In Scripture and theology, to obey and worship; to act in conformity to the law of a superior, and treat him with due reverence. Fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and truth. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. – Josh. xxiv.
16. In a bad sense, to obey; to yield compliance or act according to. Serving, divers lusts and pleasures. – Tit. iii.
17. To worship; to render homage to; as, to serve idols or false gods. – Ezek. xx.
18. To be a slave to; to be in bondage to. – Gen. xv.
19. To serve one's self of, to use; to make use of; a Gallicism, [se servir de.] I will serve myself of this concession. – Chillingworth.
20. To use; to manage; to apply. The guns were well served.
21. In seamen's language, to wind something round a rope to prevent friction. To serve up, to prepare and present in a dish; as, to serve up a sirloin of beef in plate; figuratively, to prepare. To serve in, as used by Shakspeare, for to bring in, as meat by an attendant, I have never known to be used in America. To serve out, to distribute in portions; as, to serve out provisions to soldiers. To serve a writ, to read it to the defendant; or to leave an attested copy at his usual place of abode. To serve an attachment, or writ of attachment, to levy it on the person or goods by seizure; or to seize. To serve an execution, to levy it on lands, goods, or person by seizure or taking possession. To serve a warrant, to read it, and to seize the person against whom it is issued. In general, to serve a process, is to read it so as to give due notice to the party concerned, or to leave an attested copy with him or his attorney, or at his usual place of abode. To serve an office, to discharge a public duty. [This phrase, I believe, is not used in America. We say, a man serves in an office, that is, serves the public in an office.]

1. To work for; to labor in behalf of; to exert one's self continuously or statedly for the benefit of; to do service for; to be in the employment of, as an inferior, domestic, serf, slave, hired assistant, official helper, etc.; specifically, in a religious sense, to obey and worship.
   
   

   God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit. Rom. i. 9.

   Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. Gen. xxix. 18.

   No man can serve two masters. Matt. vi. 24.

   Had I but served my God with half the zeal
   I served my king, he would not in mine age
   Have left me naked to mine enemies. Shak.

2. To be a servant or a slave; to be employed in labor or other business for another; to be in subjection or bondage; to render menial service.
   
   

   The Lord shall give thee rest . . . from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve. Isa. xiv. 3.

3. To be subordinate to; to act a secondary part under; to appear as the inferior of; to minister to.
   
   

   Bodies bright and greater should not serve
   The less not bright. Milton.

4. To perform domestic offices; to be occupied with household affairs; to prepare and dish up food, etc.
   
   

   But Martha . . . said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Luke x. 40.

5. To be suitor to; to profess love to.
   
   
   [Obs.]

   To serve a lady in his beste wise. Chaucer.

6. To be in service; to do duty; to discharge the requirements of an office or employment. Specifically, to act in the public service, as a soldier, seaman. etc.
   
   

   Many . . . who had before been great commanders, but now served as private gentlemen without pay. Knolles.

7. To wait upon; to supply the wants of; to attend; specifically, to wait upon at table; to attend at meals; to supply with food; as, to serve customers in a shop.
   
   

   Others, pampered in their shameless pride,
   Are served in plate and in their chariots ride. Dryden.

8. To be of use; to answer a purpose; to suffice; to suit; to be convenient or favorable.
   
   

   This little brand will serve to light your fire. Dryden.

   As occasion serves, this noble queen
   And prince shall follow with a fresh supply. Shak.

9. Hence, to bring forward, arrange, deal, or distribute, as a portion of anything, especially of food prepared for eating; -- often with up; formerly with in.
   
   

   Bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner. Shak.

   Some part he roasts, then serves it up so dressed. Dryde.

10. To lead off in delivering the ball.
11. To perform the duties belonging to, or required in or for; hence, to be of use to; as, a curate may serve two churches; to serve one's country.
12. To contribute or conduce to; to promote; to be sufficient for; to satisfy; as, to serve one's turn.
    
    

    Turn it into some advantage, by observing where it can serve another end. Jer. Taylor.

13. To answer or be (in the place of something) to; as, a sofa serves one for a seat and a couch.
14. To treat; to behave one's self to; to requite; to act toward; as, he served me very ill.
15. To work; to operate; as, to serve the guns.
16. To bring to notice, deliver, or execute, either actually or constructively, in such manner as the law requires; as, to serve a summons.
    
    
    (b)
17. To pass or spend, as time, esp. time of punishment; as, to serve a term in prison.
18. To copulate with; to cover; as, a horse serves a mare; -- said of the male.
19. To lead off in delivering (the ball).
20. To wind spun yarn, or the like, tightly around (a rope or cable, etc.) so as to protect it from chafing or from the weather. See under Serving.
    
    

    To serve an attachment or a writ of attachment (Law), to levy it on the person or goods by seizure, or to seize. -- To serve an execution (Law), to levy it on a lands, goods, or person, by seizure or taking possession. -- To serve an office, to discharge a public duty. -- To serve a process (Law), in general, to read it, so as to give due notice to the party concerned, or to leave an attested copy with him or his attorney, or his usual place of abode. -- To serve a warrant, to read it, and seize the person against whom it is issued. -- To serve a writ (Law), to read it to the defendant, or to leave an attested copy at his usual place of abode. -- To serve one out, to retaliate upon; to requite. "I'll serve you out for this." C. Kingsley. -- To serve one right, to treat, or cause to befall one, according to his deserts; -- used commonly of ill deserts; as, it serves the scoundrel right. -- To serve one's self of, to avail one's self of; to make use of. [A Gallicism]

    I will serve myself of this concession. Chillingworth.

    -- To serve out, to distribute; as, to serve out rations. -- To serve the time or the hour, to regulate one's actions by the requirements of the time instead of by one's duty; to be a timeserver. [Obs.]

    They think herein we serve the time, because thereby we either hold or seek preferment. Hooker.

    Syn. -- To obey; minister to; subserve; promote; aid; help; assist; benefit; succor.