From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Serve \Serve\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Served}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Serving}.] [OE. serven, servien, OF. & F. servir, fr. L.
servire; akin to servus a servant or slave, servare to
protect, preserve, observe; cf. Zend har to protect, haurva
protecting. Cf. {Conserve}, {Desert} merit, {Dessert},
{Observe}, {Serf}, {Sergeant}.]
1. To work for; to labor in behalf of; to exert one's self
continuously or statedly for the benefit of; to do service
for; to be in the employment of, as an inferior, domestic,
serf, slave, hired assistant, official helper, etc.;
specifically, in a religious sense, to obey and worship.
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God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit.
--Rom. i. 9.
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Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee
seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. --Gen.
xxix. 18.
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No man can serve two masters. --Matt. vi.
24.
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Had I but served my God with half the zeal
I served my king, he would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies. --Shak.
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2. To be subordinate to; to act a secondary part under; to
appear as the inferior of; to minister to.
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Bodies bright and greater should not serve
The less not bright. --Milton.
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3. To be suitor to; to profess love to. [Obs.]
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To serve a lady in his beste wise. --Chaucer.
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4. To wait upon; to supply the wants of; to attend;
specifically, to wait upon at table; to attend at meals;
to supply with food; as, to serve customers in a shop.
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Others, pampered in their shameless pride,
Are served in plate and in their chariots ride.
--Dryden.
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5. Hence, to bring forward, arrange, deal, or distribute, as
a portion of anything, especially of food prepared for
eating; -- often with up; formerly with in.
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Bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we
will come in to dinner. --Shak.
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Some part he roasts, then serves it up so dressed.
--Dryde.
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6. To perform the duties belonging to, or required in or for;
hence, to be of use to; as, a curate may serve two
churches; to serve one's country.
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7. To contribute or conduce to; to promote; to be sufficient
for; to satisfy; as, to serve one's turn.
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Turn it into some advantage, by observing where it
can serve another end. --Jer. Taylor.
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8. To answer or be (in the place of something) to; as, a sofa
serves one for a seat and a couch.
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9. To treat; to behave one's self to; to requite; to act
toward; as, he served me very ill.
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10. To work; to operate; as, to serve the guns.
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11. (Law)
(a) To bring to notice, deliver, or execute, either
actually or constructively, in such manner as the law
requires; as, to serve a summons.
(b) To make legal service opon (a person named in a writ,
summons, etc.); as, to serve a witness with a
subp[oe]na.
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12. To pass or spend, as time, esp. time of punishment; as,
to serve a term in prison.
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13. To copulate with; to cover; as, a horse serves a mare; --
said of the male.
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14. (Tennis) To lead off in delivering (the ball).
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15. (Naut.) To wind spun yarn, or the like, tightly around (a
rope or cable, etc.) so as to protect it from chafing or
from the weather. See under {Serving}.
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{To serve an attachment} or {To serve a writ of attachment}
(Law), to levy it on the person or goods by seizure, or to
seize.
{To serve an execution} (Law), to levy it on a lands, goods,
or person, by seizure or taking possession.
{To serve an office}, to discharge a public duty.
{To serve a process} (Law), in general, to read it, so as to
give due notice to the party concerned, or to leave an
attested copy with him or his attorney, or his usual place
of abode.
{To serve a warrant}, to read it, and seize the person
against whom it is issued.
{To serve a writ} (Law), to read it to the defendant, or to
leave an attested copy at his usual place of abode.
{To serve one out}, to retaliate upon; to requite. "I'll
serve you out for this." --C. Kingsley.
{To serve one right}, to treat, or cause to befall one,
according to his deserts; -- used commonly of ill deserts;
as, it serves the scoundrel right.
{To serve one's self of}, to avail one's self of; to make use
of. [A Gallicism]
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I will serve myself of this concession.
--Chillingworth.
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{To serve out}, to distribute; as, to serve out rations.
{To serve the time} or {To serve the hour}, to regulate one's
actions by the requirements of the time instead of by
one's duty; to be a timeserver. [Obs.]
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They think herein we serve the time, because thereby
we either hold or seek preferment. --Hooker.
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Syn: To obey; minister to; subserve; promote; aid; help;
assist; benefit; succor.
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