English Reference
Idiom idiom

serve notice


To fire; to terminate one's employment or formal association.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

The manager served notice to the lazy employee today.

CONTEXTUAL

After the company lost its biggest client, the director had to serve notice to several members of the sales team.

COMPLEX

The board of directors decided to serve notice to the chief executive, citing a long history of poor financial performance and failed strategic initiatives.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    first come, first served

    One will be dealt with in the order in which one arrives.

  2. 02

    give notice

    To announce one's intent to leave a job; to inform an employer that one is leaving.

  3. 03

    serve someone right

    To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.

  4. 04

    serve the turn

    To suffice for one's immediate purpose or need.

  5. 05

    serve time

    To be confined in prison or a similar institution, typically for wrongdoing that violates the law.

  6. 06

    serve two masters

    To take orders from two superiors or two conflicting parties.

  7. 07

    serve up

    To provide; deliver; inflict; impose.

  8. 08

    take no notice of

    To ignore.

Last updated August 10, 2026