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1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
serving
    n 1: an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a
         meal; "the helpings were all small"; "his portion was
         larger than hers"; "there's enough for two servings each"
         [syn: helping, portion, serving]
    2: the act of delivering a writ or summons upon someone; "he
       accepted service of the subpoena" [syn: service, serving,
       service of process]

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
Serving \Serv"ing\,
   a. & n. from Serve.
   [1913 Webster]

   Serving board (Naut.), a flat piece of wood used in serving
      ropes.

   Serving maid, a female servant; a maidservant.

   Serving mallet (Naut.), a wooden instrument shaped like a
      mallet, used in serving ropes.

   Serving man, a male servant, or attendant; a manservant.

   Serving stuff (Naut.), small lines for serving ropes.
      [1913 Webster]

Thesaurus Results for serving:

1. Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
accessory, acting, adjuvant, ancillary, antepast, assistant, assisting, attendant, attending, auxiliary, behavioral, course, cover, dessert, dish, entree, entremets, fostering, functional, functioning, gear, help, helping, inaction, instrumental, menial, ministerial, ministering, ministrant, nurtural, nutricial, operating, operational, performing, place, plate, portion, practicing, rig, rigging, ropework, roping, running rigging, second helping, service, servile, servitorial, standing rigging, subservient, subsidiary, tackle, tackling, waiting, whipping, working
Common Misspellings >
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