serve
serve a purpose, role, or function
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,431 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 12,805 times across 155,370 chapters — 0.006% of every word in the library.
What it means
verb
- serve a purpose, role, or function also: function The tree stump serves as a tableThe female students served as a control group
- do duty or hold offices; serve in a specific function He served as head of the department for three yearsShe served in Congress for two terms
- contribute or conduce to The scandal served to increase his popularity
- be used by; as of a utility also: service The sewage plant served the neighboring communitiesThe garage served to shelter his horses
- help to some food; help with food or drink also: help I served him three times, and after that he helped himself
- provide (usually but not necessarily food) also: serve up, dish out, dish up, dish We serve meals for the homelessShe dished out the soup at 8 P.M.
serve in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Then wrap it up in a blanket of humour, sprinkle with fatuousness, and serve cold.
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 · Various · Chapter 1
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Nor brave the inventions that serve to replace The openness of valor while dismantling the grace.
John Marr and Other Poems · Herman Melville · Chapter 1
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I shut myself up in my skin, which soon became hard enough to serve for my retreat.
Piccolissima · Adélaïde de Montgolfier · Chapter 1
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If he remembers that he is commissary of police, it will be to serve us, not to injure you.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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But if thou do not love, I'll truly serve her In spite of thee, and by firm faith deserve her.
Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Phillis - Licia · Martha Foote [Editor] Crow · Chapter 1