Serve

verb
sɜrv

Noun

  • (sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play

    his powerful serves won the game

    Similar:Service

Verb

  • be used by; as of a utility

    The sewage plant served the neighboring communities

    The garage served to shelter his horses

    Similar:Service
    Type of:OperateFunctionRun
  • work for or be a servant to

    May I serve you?

    The minister served the King for many years

    Similar:AssistAttend
    Type of:AidAssistHelp
  • serve a purpose, role, or function

    The tree stump serves as a table

    The female students served as a control group

    This table would serve very well

    Similar:Function
    Type of:AnswerSufficeDo
  • promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to

    Art serves commerce

    Their interests are served

    The lake serves recreation

    Type of:FosterNurture
  • provide (usually but not necessarily food)

    We serve meals for the homeless

    The entertainers served up a lively show

    Similar:Dish
    Type of:PlyCaterProvide
  • mate with

    male animals serve the females for breeding purposes

    Similar:Service
    Type of:CopulateMatePair
  • be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity

    Nothing else will serve

    Similar:AnswerDoSuffice
    Type of:SatisfyFulfilFulfill
  • help to some food; help with food or drink

    I served him three times, and after that he helped himself

    Similar:Help
    Type of:CaterSupplyProvide
  • devote (part of) one's life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas

    She served the art of music

    He served the church

    serve the country

    Type of:Work
  • do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function

    He served as head of the department for three years

    She served in Congress for two terms

    Type of:Work
  • do military service

    She served in Vietnam

    My sons never served, because they are short-sighted

    Type of:Work
  • contribute or conduce to

    The scandal served to increase his popularity

    Type of:EffectuateEffect
  • put the ball into play

    It was Agassi's turn to serve

    Type of:MoveGo
  • deliver a warrant or summons to someone

    Similar:Process
    Type of:Deliver
  • spend time in prison or in a labor camp

    Similar:Do
    Type of:SpendPass

Dictionary Validity

Tournament Word List (TWL)
Scrabble US
Collins Scrabble Words (CSW21)
Scrabble UK
ENABLE Dictionary
Words With Friends
Combined US/UK Scrabble Dictionary
SOWPODS
North American Scrabble (NWL2020)
NASPA