serves

Verb

serve (third-person singular simple present serves, present participle serving, simple past and past participle served)

1. (personal, transitive) To be a formal servant for (a god or deity); to worship in an official capacity.
   • And yet this is not the office of a Priest, but of Him whom the Priest should serve.1889, Philip Schaff, translating St. Chrysostom, Homilies, XIV
2. (personal, transitive) To be a servant for; to work for, to be employed by.
   • And truly, Mrs. Abigal, I muſt needs ſay, I ſerv'd my Maſter contentedly, vvhile he vvas living; but I vvill ſerve no Man living (that is, no Man that is not living) vvithout double VVages.1716 March 21 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], The Drummer; or, The Haunted House. A Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], published 1716 (indicated as 1715), →OCLC...
3. (personal, transitive) To wait upon (someone) at table; to set food and drink in front of, to help (someone) to food, meals etc.
   • That night Annie served him grilled halibut and English peas, plus tomatoes, of course, and a salad.2007, Larry McMurty, When the Light Goes
4. (factive, intransitive, personal) To render service by being a servant, worker, employee, or officeholder; to hold those roles and perform their duties.
   • They also serve who only stand and wait.1673, John Milton, On His Blindness
5. (personal, transitive) To set down (food or drink) on the table to be eaten; to bring (food, drink) to a person.
   • About twenty minutes after waiters served the soup, a guest got up and left.2009, Dominic A Pacyga, Chicago: A Biography, page 195
6. (archaic, transitive) To treat (someone) in a given manner.
   • Herein thou haſt done good ſeruice to thy country:
     VVere all inhumaine ſlaues ſo ſerued as he,
     England would be ciuill, and from all ſuch dealings free.1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act I

See all 26 meanings of serve