Analysis Complete

serve

/ serve /
noun/verb

Definitions & Examples

noun Sense 1
(sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play
"his powerful serves won the game"
Type of:
tennis stroke tennis shot
Kinds of:
ace fault let net ball
Domain:
tennis lawn tennis badminton
verb Sense 2
serve a purpose, role, or function
"The tree stump serves as a table"
"The female students served as a control group"
"This table would serve very well"
"His freedom served him well"
"The table functions as a desk"
Type of:
suffice do answer
Kinds of:
prelude act as
Derived:
function purpose role use
Verb group:
service
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something with something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
verb Sense 3
promote, benefit, or be useful or beneficial to
"Art serves commerce"
"Their interests are served"
"The lake serves recreation"
"The President''s wisdom has served the counrty well"
Type of:
foster nurture
Derived:
handmaid handmaiden servant
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s on something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
verb Sense 4
contribute or conduce to
"The scandal served to increase his popularity"
Type of:
effect effectuate bring about
Kinds of:
help facilitate
Verb group:
serve well
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Something is ----ing PP
verb Sense 5
devote (part of) one''s life or efforts to, as of countries, institutions, or ideas
"She served the art of music"
"He served the church"
"serve the country"
Type of:
work
Verb group:
attend to wait on attend assist
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s something with something
verb Sense 6
work for or be a servant to
"May I serve you?"
"She attends the old lady in the wheelchair"
"Can you wait on our table, please?"
"Is a salesperson assisting you?"
"The minister served the King for many years"
Type of:
help assist aid
Kinds of:
valet fag
Derived:
aid assist assistance help attendant
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something with something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
verb Sense 7
do military service
"She served in Vietnam"
"My sons never served, because they are short-sighted"
Type of:
work do work
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
verb Sense 8
deliver a warrant or summons to someone
"He was processed by the sheriff"
Type of:
deliver
Kinds of:
subpoena
Derived:
summons process
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
verb Sense 9
mate with
"male animals serve the females for breeding purposes"
Type of:
copulate mate pair
Kinds of:
stand
Derived:
servicing service
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody PP
verb Sense 10
help to some food; help with food or drink
"I served him three times, and after that he helped himself"
Type of:
provide supply ply
Derived:
helping portion serving waiter server
Verb group:
serve up dish out dish up dish
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something with something
verb Sense 11
provide (usually but not necessarily food)
"We serve meals for the homeless"
"She dished out the soup at 8 P.M."
"The entertainers served up a lively show"
Type of:
provide supply ply
Kinds of:
plank
Derived:
dish dishful
Verb group:
help
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb Sense 12
do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function
"He served as head of the department for three years"
"She served in Congress for two terms"
Type of:
work do work
Kinds of:
staff act rotate officiate function
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something with something
verb Sense 13
put the ball into play
"It was Agassi''s turn to serve"
Type of:
move go
Kinds of:
ace
Derived:
service server
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Domain:
court game
verb Sense 14
spend time in prison or in a labor camp
"He did six years for embezzlement"
Type of:
spend pass
Kinds of:
admit
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s something with something
verb Sense 15
be used by; as of a utility
"The sewage plant served the neighboring communities"
"The garage served to shelter his horses"
Type of:
function work operate
Derived:
service
Verb group:
function
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s on something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Something is ----ing PP
verb Sense 16
be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
"A few words would answer"
"This car suits my purpose well"
"Will $100 do?"
"A ''B'' grade doesn''t suffice to get me into medical school"
"Nothing else will serve"
Type of:
satisfy fulfill fulfil
Kinds of:
tide over bridge over keep going go a long way function
Derived:
sufficiency enough adequacy
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s
Frame 34
Semantic Complexity
100%
Sense Count
16
Total Synonyms
0
Total Relationships
104
Times Searched
3
Relationship Distribution

Word Relationship Graph

Synonyms Antonyms Hypernyms Hyponyms

Related Words

tennis stroke tennis shot ace fault let net ball suffice do answer prelude act as foster