# serve

/ˈsɝv/ (US) · /sˈɜːv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/serve
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to help customers

verb · CEFR A2

to help customers in a shop, restaurant, or bank.

For teachers: to attend to a customer's needs in a commercial or professional setting.

- The clerk was busy serving another customer when I walked into the store.
- The boutique prides itself on serving high-net-worth clients with a level of discretion that larger department stores cannot match.

### 2. to provide food or drink

verb · CEFR A2

to give food or drink to someone, especially during a meal.

For teachers: to provide or distribute food or drink to guests or customers.

- They serve breakfast in the hotel dining room until ten o'clock.
- The chef recommends serving the venison with a reduction of red wine and juniper berries to complement the gamey flavour.

### 3. to work for an organisation

verb · CEFR B1

to work for a particular organisation, especially the military or the government.

For teachers: to perform duties for a sovereign, state, or organisation, particularly in a military or official capacity.

- My grandfather served in the navy for twenty years before he retired.
- She served with distinction on the regional council for three consecutive terms before pursuing a career in national politics.

### 4. to be useful

verb · CEFR B2

to be useful or helpful for a particular purpose.

For teachers: to be functional or adequate for a specific purpose or requirement.

- This old wooden crate can serve as a coffee table for now.
- The preliminary report will serve as a foundation for the more detailed environmental impact study scheduled for next year.

### 5. to spend time in prison

verb · CEFR B2

to spend a specific amount of time in prison.

For teachers: to undergo a period of imprisonment as a legal penalty.

- He had to serve three years in prison for his role in the robbery.
- The defendant was sentenced to serve ten years, though he may be eligible for parole after completing two-thirds of that time.

### 6. to deliver legal papers

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

to officially give someone a legal document, like a summons to go to court.

For teachers: to deliver a legal notice or writ to a person so that they are officially informed of a legal action.

- The lawyers finally managed to serve him with the divorce papers yesterday.
- Process servers often face significant challenges when attempting to serve individuals who are actively evading legal proceedings.

### 7. to look very good

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

to look very stylish or attractive.

For teachers: to present an exceptionally attractive or stylish personal appearance.

- She is really serving in that new outfit she bought for the party.
- The drag queen walked onto the stage and was absolutely serving, captivating the entire audience with her elaborate costume.

Teaching tip: This is a modern slang use often found in fashion and LGBTQ+ contexts; it is very informal.

### 8. starting a game

noun · CEFR B1

the act of hitting the ball to start a point in games like tennis.

For teachers: the act or manner of putting the ball or shuttlecock into play in court games.

- Her serve is so fast that most players cannot even touch the ball.
- The match turned in his favour once he regained his confidence and began landing his first serve with consistent accuracy.

### 9. a portion of food

noun · CEFR B1 · British English · Dialect

an amount of food for one person.

For teachers: a portion of food or drink intended for one person.

- That is a very large serve of chips for just one person.
- The restaurant offers a standard serve of vegetables with every main course at no additional charge.

Teaching tip: In American English, 'serving' or 'portion' is much more common than 'serve' for food.

## Examples

- She has a very powerful serve in tennis.
- The player lost the first set because his serve was inconsistent and hit the net too often.
- Mastering a high-velocity serve requires not only upper-body strength but also precise timing and a consistent ball toss to ensure the correct angle of impact.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.