serve one's purpose — be useful to someone for a certain need That tool should serve my purpose until I find the correct one … Idioms and examples
serve — ► VERB 1) perform duties or services for. 2) be employed as a member of the armed forces. 3) spend (a period) in office, in an apprenticeship, or in prison. 4) present food or drink to. 5) attend to (a customer in a shop). 6) be of use in… … English terms dictionary
serve — serve1 [ sɜrv ] verb *** ▸ 1 provide food/drink ▸ 2 do job ▸ 3 be used for purpose ▸ 4 help achieve something ▸ 5 spend time in prison ▸ 6 provide with something useful ▸ 7 help customers in store ▸ 8 officially give document ▸ 9 hit ball to… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
serve — I UK [sɜː(r)v] / US [sɜrv] verb Word forms serve : present tense I/you/we/they serve he/she/it serves present participle serving past tense served past participle served *** 1) [intransitive/transitive] to provide food and drink for someone to… … English dictionary
serve — [[t]sɜ͟ː(r)v[/t]] ♦♦ serves, serving, served 1) VERB If you serve your country, an organization, or a person, you do useful work for them. [V n] It is unfair to soldiers who have served their country well for many years... [V n] I have always… … English dictionary
purpose — pur|pose1 [ pɜrpəs ] noun *** 1. ) count the goal that someone wants to achieve, or that something is intended to achieve: I use my boat mainly for leisure purposes. purpose of: The purpose of this dictionary is to help students of English. the… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
purpose */*/*/ — UK [ˈpɜː(r)pəs] / US [ˈpɜrpəs] noun Word forms purpose : singular purpose plural purposes 1) [countable] the aim that someone wants to achieve, or that something is intended to achieve I use my boat mainly for leisure purposes. purpose of: The… … English dictionary
serve — [c]/sɜv / (say serv) verb (served, serving) –verb (i) 1. to act as a servant. 2. to wait at table; hand food to guests. 3. to render assistance; help. 4. to go through a term of service; do duty as a soldier, sailor, councillor, juror, etc. 5. to …
serve — verb 1》 perform duties or services for. ↘be employed as a member of the armed forces. ↘spend (a period) in office, in an apprenticeship, or in prison. 2》 present food or drink to (someone). ↘(of food or drink) be enough for.… … English new terms dictionary
serve — [sɜːv ǁ sɜːrv] verb 1. [transitive] COMMERCE to supply customers with a particular product or service or with something they need: • The firm plans to open a London office to serve clients with investments and businesses in Europe. • JAL Group… … Financial and business terms
serve — 1 verb 1 FOOD/DRINK (I, T) to give someone food or drink as part of a meal: What kind of wine should we serve? | serve sth with sth: Serve the dish with rice and a green salad. | serve sb: Why aren t you out there serving the guests? | serve sth… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English