The host served the snacks to everyone and left the room to work on the salad.
•The snacks were served to everyone in attendance.
2. to officially deliver something, such as a subpoena, to someone. •The sheriff at the door was there to serve a subpoena to Fred.
•She served the papers to the person who lived there.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
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
serve — serve1 W1S1 [sə:v US sə:rv] v ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(food/drink)¦ 2 serve two/three/four etc (people) 3¦(shop)¦ 4¦(be useful/helpful)¦ 5¦(do useful work)¦ 6¦(have an effect)¦ 7¦(provide something)¦ 8¦(prison)¦ 9¦(sport)¦ 10 it … Dictionary of contemporary English
serve up — verb provide (usually but not necessarily food) (Freq. 1) We serve meals for the homeless She dished out the soup at 8 P.M. The entertainers served up a lively show • Syn: ↑serve, ↑dish out, ↑dish up, ↑ … Useful english dictionary
serve notice — ► put someone on notice (or serve notice) warn someone of something about or likely to occur. Main Entry: ↑notice … English 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 — [sʉrv] vt. served, serving [ME serven < OFr servir < L servire, to serve < servus, servant, slave: see SERF] 1. to work for as a servant 2. a) to do services or duties for; give service to; aid; assist; help b) to give obedience and… … English World dictionary
serve someone right — (of something unpleasant) to be no more than deserved • • • Main Entry: ↑serve * * * be someone s deserved punishment or misfortune it would serve you right if Jeff walked out on you * * * serve someone right see ↑serve, 1 • • • Main Entry: ↑ … Useful english dictionary
serve someone right — serve (someone) right if something bad that happens serves someone right, they deserve it. It would serve you right if your children never spoke to you again. And she didn t get the promotion she d hoped for, which served her right for being so… … New idioms dictionary
serve right — serve (someone) right if something bad that happens serves someone right, they deserve it. It would serve you right if your children never spoke to you again. And she didn t get the promotion she d hoped for, which served her right for being so… … New idioms dictionary
