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No results could be found matching the exact term serve the purpose in the thesaurus.
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Consider searching for the individual words serve, the, or purpose.
Dictionary Results for serve:
1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
serve
    n 1: (sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play; "his powerful
         serves won the game" [syn: serve, service]
    v 1: 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"; "His freedom
         served him well"; "The table functions as a desk" [syn:
         serve, function]
    2: 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"
    3: contribute or conduce to; "The scandal served to increase his
       popularity"
    4: be used by; as of a utility; "The sewage plant served the
       neighboring communities"; "The garage served to shelter his
       horses" [syn: service, serve]
    5: help to some food; help with food or drink; "I served him
       three times, and after that he helped himself" [syn: serve,
       help]
    6: provide (usually but not necessarily food); "We serve meals
       for the homeless"; "She dished out the soup at 8 P.M."; "The
       entertainers served up a lively show" [syn: serve, serve
       up, dish out, dish up, dish]
    7: 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"
    8: promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to; "Art serves
       commerce"; "Their interests are served"; "The lake serves
       recreation"; "The President's wisdom has served the country
       well" [syn: serve, serve well]
    9: spend time in prison or in a labor camp; "He did six years
       for embezzlement" [syn: serve, do]
    10: work for or be a servant to; "May I serve you?"; "She
        attends the old lady in the wheelchair"; "Can you wait on
        our table, please?"; "Is a salesperson assisting you?"; "The
        minister served the King for many years" [syn: serve,
        attend to, wait on, attend, assist]
    11: deliver a warrant or summons to someone; "He was processed
        by the sheriff" [syn: serve, process, swear out]
    12: be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity;
        "A few words would answer"; "This car suits my purpose
        well"; "Will $100 do?"; "A 'B' grade doesn't suffice to get
        me into medical school"; "Nothing else will serve" [syn:
        suffice, do, answer, serve]
    13: do military service; "She served in Vietnam"; "My sons never
        served, because they are short-sighted"
    14: mate with; "male animals serve the females for breeding
        purposes" [syn: serve, service]
    15: put the ball into play; "It was Agassi's turn to serve"

2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Serve \Serve\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Served; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Serving.] [OE. serven, servien, OF. & F. servir, fr. L.
   servire; akin to servus a servant or slave, servare to
   protect, preserve, observe; cf. Zend har to protect, haurva
   protecting. Cf. Conserve, Desert merit, Dessert,
   Observe, Serf, Sergeant.]
   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.
      [1913 Webster]

            God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit.
                                                  --Rom. i. 9.
      [1913 Webster]

            Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee
            seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. --Gen.
                                                  xxix. 18.
      [1913 Webster]

            No man can serve two masters.         --Matt. vi.
                                                  24.
      [1913 Webster]

            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.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To be subordinate to; to act a secondary part under; to
      appear as the inferior of; to minister to.
      [1913 Webster]

            Bodies bright and greater should not serve
            The less not bright.                  --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To be suitor to; to profess love to. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

            To serve a lady in his beste wise.    --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. 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.
      [1913 Webster]

            Others, pampered in their shameless pride,
            Are served in plate and in their chariots ride.
                                                  --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. 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.
      [1913 Webster]

            Bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we
            will come in to dinner.               --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

            Some part he roasts, then serves it up so dressed.
                                                  --Dryde.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. 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.
      [1913 Webster]

   7. To contribute or conduce to; to promote; to be sufficient
      for; to satisfy; as, to serve one's turn.
      [1913 Webster]

            Turn it into some advantage, by observing where it
            can serve another end.                --Jer. Taylor.
      [1913 Webster]

   8. To answer or be (in the place of something) to; as, a sofa
      serves one for a seat and a couch.
      [1913 Webster]

   9. To treat; to behave one's self to; to requite; to act
      toward; as, he served me very ill.
      [1913 Webster]

   10. To work; to operate; as, to serve the guns.
       [1913 Webster]

   11. (Law)
       (a) To bring to notice, deliver, or execute, either
           actually or constructively, in such manner as the law
           requires; as, to serve a summons.
       (b) To make legal service opon (a person named in a writ,
           summons, etc.); as, to serve a witness with a
           subp[oe]na.
           [1913 Webster]

   12. To pass or spend, as time, esp. time of punishment; as,
       to serve a term in prison.
       [1913 Webster]

   13. To copulate with; to cover; as, a horse serves a mare; --
       said of the male.
       [1913 Webster]

   14. (Tennis) To lead off in delivering (the ball).
       [1913 Webster]

   15. (Naut.) 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.
       [1913 Webster]

   To serve an attachment or To serve 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]
      [1913 Webster]

            I will serve myself of this concession.
                                                  --Chillingworth.
      [1913 Webster]

   To serve out, to distribute; as, to serve out rations.

   To serve the time or To serve the hour, to regulate one's
      actions by the requirements of the time instead of by
      one's duty; to be a timeserver. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

            They think herein we serve the time, because thereby
            we either hold or seek preferment.    --Hooker.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To obey; minister to; subserve; promote; aid; help;
        assist; benefit; succor.
        [1913 Webster]

3. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Serve \Serve\, v. i.
   1. 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.
      [1913 Webster]

            The Lord shall give thee rest . . . from the hard
            bondage wherein thou wast made to serve. --Isa. xiv.
                                                  3.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To perform domestic offices; to be occupied with household
      affairs; to prepare and dish up food, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

            But Martha . . . said, Lord, dost thou not care that
            my sister hath left me to serve alone? --Luke x. 40.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. 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.
      [1913 Webster]

            Many . . . who had before been great commanders, but
            now served as private gentlemen without pay.
                                                  --Knolles.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To be of use; to answer a purpose; to suffice; to suit; to
      be convenient or favorable.
      [1913 Webster]

            This little brand will serve to light your fire.
                                                  --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

            As occasion serves, this noble queen
            And prince shall follow with a fresh supply. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. (Tennis) To lead off in delivering the ball.
      [1913 Webster]

4. The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018)
serve

    To be a server, to provide a service.

   E.g., "The shttpd serves requested documents to clients over
   a secure link."

   (1997-09-11)


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