A Quick and Simple Dictionary

serve

1. Noun.  (sports) the act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games.
2. Noun.  (Australia) A portion of food, a serving.
3. Verb.  (transitive) To be a formal servant for (a god or deity); to worship in an official capacity. (defdate, from 12th c.) .
4. Verb.  (transitive) To be a servant for; to work for, to be employed by. (defdate, from 13th c.) .
5. Verb.  (transitive) To wait upon (someone) at table; to set food and drink in front of, to help (someone) to food, meals etc. (defdate, from 13th c.) .
6. Verb.  (transitive, archaic) To treat (someone) in a given manner. (defdate, from 13th c.) .
7. Verb.  (intransitive) To be a servant or worker; to perform the duties of a servant or employee; to render service. (defdate, from 14th c.) .
8. Verb.  (transitive, archaic) To be suitor to; to be the lover of. (defdate, from 14th c.) .
9. Verb.  (transitive) To be useful to; to meet the needs of. (defdate, from 14th c.) .
10. Verb.  (intransitive) To have a given use or purpose; to function (term, for) something or ''to do'' something. (defdate, from 14th c.) .
11. Verb.  (intransitive) To usefully take the place (term, as) , (term, instead) ''of'' something else. (defdate, from 14th c.) .
12. Verb.  (transitive) To set down (food or drink) on the table to be eaten; to bring (food, drink) to a person. (defdate, from 15th c.) .
13. Verb.  (transitive, legal) To officially deliver (a legal notice, summons etc.). (defdate, from 15th c.) .
14. Verb.  (transitive, legal) To make legal service upon (a person named in a writ, summons, etc.).
15. Verb.  (intransitive) To be in military service. (defdate, from 16th c.) .
16. Verb.  (transitive, intransitive) To lead off with the first delivery over the net in tennis, volleyball, ping pong, badminton etc. (defdate, from 16th c.) .
17. Verb.  (transitive) To copulate with (of male animals); to cover. (defdate, from 16th c.) .
18. Verb.  (transitive, military) To work, to operate (a weapon). (defdate, from 18th c.) .
19. Verb.  (transitive) To work through (a given period of time in prison, a sentence). (defdate, from 19th c.) .