serving out

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To win a set, or by extension a match, by holding serve (winning a game as the server).
   • She held her nerve after failing to serve out the match at the first attempt, seeing three match points slip by in a nervous service game at 6-4 5-4 and recovering from losing the tie-break to dominate the decider.2011 June 28, Piers Newbery, “Wimbledon 2011: Sabine Lisicki beats Marion Bartoli”, in BBC Sport
2. (transitive) To serve the whole of some period.
   • The politician did not serve out his term.
3. (transitive) To deal out or distribute.
   • The waiters served out soup to the guests.
4. (archaic, transitive) To pay back; to have one's revenge on.
   • 'Yar!' said she, 'you little meddlesome wretch, I have you now! I will serve you out for telling the salmon where I was!'1863, Charles Kingsley, The Water-Babies