serve

The word “serve” means to provide help, food, or a service to someone. In plain terms, to help someone, provide something they need, or work for them — also the opening shot in racket sports.

“Serve” is pronounced surv (/sɝv/ in IPA).

Here is “serve” used in a sentence: “The waiter served our food quickly.”

Words with a similar meaning to “serve” include attend, bestand, aid, wait on, attend to and await.

The opposite of “serve” — its antonyms — are receive, govern, order and rule.

Depending on how it is used, “serve” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “serve” comes from Latin. From Old French servir, from Latin servire ("to serve"), related to servus ("slave; servant").

“Serve” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

Serve is usually the verb, meaning to provide food, help, or a service, as in 'they serve lunch at noon'. Service is usually the noun, naming the help provided, as in 'the service was excellent'. Service can also work as a verb for maintaining machines, as in 'to service a car'.

Serve has several senses. It can mean to bring food or drink to someone, to help customers or the public, to work for an organisation such as the army, to spend time in a role or a sentence, and, in sport, to put the ball into play. Context shows which meaning applies.

You might say 'the waiter will serve your meal shortly', 'she chose to serve her community as a nurse', or 'he will serve first in the tennis match'. Each shows a different sense: providing food, giving help or duty, and putting the ball into play in a game.

Serve is neutral and fits both everyday and formal settings. It sounds ordinary in 'serve dinner' yet dignified in 'serve one's country'. Because it carries a sense of providing for others, it often appears in respectful or official language, but it is equally at home in casual conversation.