n. [ OE. servise, OF. servise, service, F. service, from L. servitium. See Serve. ] 1. The act of serving; the occupation of a servant; the performance of labor for the benefit of another, or at another's command; attendance of an inferior, hired helper, slave, etc., on a superior, employer, master, or the like; also, spiritual obedience and love. “O God . . . whose service is perfect freedom.” Bk. of Com. Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Madam, I entreat true peace of you,
Which I will purchase with my duteous service. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

God requires no man's service upon hard and unreasonable terms. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The deed of one who serves; labor performed for another; duty done or required; office. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have served him from the hour of my nativity, . . . and have nothing at his hands for my service but blows. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

This poem was the last piece of service I did for my master, King Charles. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

To go on the forlorn hope is a service of peril; who will understake it if it be not also a service of honor? Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Office of devotion; official religious duty performed; religious rites appropriate to any event or ceremonial; as, a burial service. [ 1913 Webster ]

The outward service of ancient religion, the rites, ceremonies, and ceremonial vestments of the old law. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Hence, a musical composition for use in churches. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Duty performed in, or appropriate to, any office or charge; official function; hence, specifically, military or naval duty; performance of the duties of a soldier. [ 1913 Webster ]

When he cometh to experience of service abroad . . . ne maketh a worthy soldier. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Useful office; advantage conferred; that which promotes interest or happiness; benefit; avail. [ 1913 Webster ]

The stork's plea, when taken in a net, was the service she did in picking up venomous creatures. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Profession of respect; acknowledgment of duty owed. “Pray, do my service to his majesty.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. The act and manner of bringing food to the persons who eat it; order of dishes at table; also, a set or number of vessels ordinarily used at table; as, the service was tardy and awkward; a service of plate or glass. [ 1913 Webster ]

There was no extraordinary service seen on the board. Hakewill. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Law) The act of bringing to notice, either actually or constructively, in such manner as is prescribed by law; as, the service of a subpœna or an attachment. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. (Naut.) The materials used for serving a rope, etc., as spun yarn, small lines, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. (Tennis) The act of serving the ball. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. Act of serving or covering. See Serve, v. t., 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

Service book, a prayer book or missal. --
Service line (Tennis), a line parallel to the net, and at a distance of 21 feet from it. --
Service of a writ,
process, etc. (Law), personal delivery or communication of the writ or process, etc., to the party to be affected by it, so as to subject him to its operation; the reading of it to the person to whom notice is intended to be given, or the leaving of an attested copy with the person or his attorney, or at his usual place of abode. --
Service of an attachment (Law), the seizing of the person or goods according to the direction. --
Service of an execution (Law), the levying of it upon the goods, estate, or person of the defendant. --
Service pipe, a pipe connecting mains with a dwelling, as in gas pipes, and the like. Tomlinson. --
To accept service. (Law) See under Accept. --
To see service (Mil.), to do duty in the presence of the enemy, or in actual war. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ n., or . [ Properly, the tree which bears serve, OE. serves, pl., service berries, AS. syrfe service tree; akin to L. sorbus. ] (Bot.) A name given to several trees and shrubs of the genus Pyrus, as Pyrus domestica and Pyrus torminalis of Europe, the various species of mountain ash or rowan tree, and the American shad bush (see Shad bush, under Shad). They have clusters of small, edible, applelike berries. [ 1913 Webster ]

Service berry (Bot.), the fruit of any kind of service tree. In British America the name is especially applied to that of the several species or varieties of the shad bush (Amelanchier.) [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Doing service; promoting happiness, interest, advantage, or any good; useful to any end; adapted to any good end use; beneficial; advantageous. “Serviceable to religion and learning”. Atterbury. “Serviceable tools.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

I know thee well, a serviceable villain. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Prepared for rendering service; capable of, or fit for, the performance of duty; hence, active; diligent. [ 1913 Webster ]

Courteous he was, lowly, and servysable. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bright-hearnessed angels sit in order serviceable. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Seeing her so sweet and serviceable. Tennnyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Serv"ice*a*ble*ness, n. -- Serv"ice*a*bly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Servitude. [ Obs. ] Fairfax. [ 1913 Webster ]

an elevator for carrying large or havy items, or for the use of service people. [ PJC ]

an entrance for use of servants and those providing services, such as deliveries or repair work. [ PJC ]

{ or }. (Mil.) A cap or hat worn by officers or enlisted men when full-dress uniform, or dress uniform, is not worn. In the United States army the service cap is round, about 31/2 inches high, flat-topped, with a visor. The service hat is of soft felt of khaki color, with broad brim and high crown, creased down the middle. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a business where automobiles may be serviced and repaired, usually also having a gasoline vending apparatus, in which case it is also called a gas station or gasoline station. Facilities for repair of automobiles but without a gasoline dispensing function are commonly called repair shops. [ PJC ]

. (Mil. & Nav.) The uniform prescribed in regulations for active or routine service, in distinction from dress, full dress, etc. In the United States army it is of olive-drab woolen or khaki-colored cotton, with all metal attachments of dull-finish bronze, with the exceptional of insignia of rank, which are of gold or silver finish. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]