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# serve

verb, noun (serve, serves, served, serving)

«serve» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To serve is to give food or drink to people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#m1)
2. A dish that serves 4 is enough food for 4 people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#m2)
3. To serve is to work for or help others, like a shop assistant serves customers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#m3)
4. In tennis or volleyball, to serve is to hit the ball to start play; a serve is that hit. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#m4)
5. To serve in the army or on a team is to work in it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#m5)
6. «It serves you right» means you deserved the bad thing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#m6)

### In the lessons

Maths: sharing food — a dish serves so many people; things served counted; «serves n» is a rate per item: items needed = people ÷ n (round up). Everyday: serving dinner, a serving spoon, being served in a shop. Sport: serve in tennis, badminton and volleyball. Phrases: serve up, first come first served.

### Examples

- One pizza serves 4 people. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#x1)
- The cafe served 120 meals today. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#x2)
- How many pizzas does she need to serve 20 people? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#x3)
- Each cook serves 15 plates an hour. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#x4)
- The waiter served our drinks first. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#x5)
- Are you being served? asked the shop assistant. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#x6)
- She served the ball hard over the net. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#x7)
- Grandma served in the navy when she was young. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#x8)
- Serve the soup while it is hot. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#x9)
- For dinner the Fox served soup. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/#x10)

### Note

Regular verb: served, serving. A serving is one portion. «Serves n» is a rate per item: items needed = people ÷ n. Trap: a part item cannot be bought, so round up (21 people, pizzas serve 4: 6 pizzas, not 5.25). «Serve» someone (no «to»): serve the customers.

## In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: The same Hebrew word means both working and worshipping, so the tradition links honest work, slavery and prayer. It teaches that Israel was freed from serving Pharaoh in order to serve God. In the primary lessons: Maths: sharing food — a dish serves so many people; things served counted; «serves n» is a rate per item: items needed = people ÷ n (round up). Everyday: serving dinner, a serving spoon, being served in a shop. Sport: serve in tennis, badminton and volleyball. Phrases: serve up, first come first served.

### Examples

- Let peoples serve thee, and nations bow down to thee. (Torah GEN.27.29, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/serve/#x1)
- Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. (Torah GEN.14.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/serve/#x2)
- And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour. (Torah EXO.1.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/serve/#x3)
- Will the wild-ox be willing to serve thee? (Writings JOB.39.9, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/serve/#x4)
- What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? (Writings JOB.21.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/serve/#x5)
- Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. (Writings PSA.2.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/serve/#x6)

### Note

Regular verb: served, serving. A serving is one portion. «Serves n» is a rate per item: items needed = people ÷ n. Trap: a part item cannot be bought, so round up (21 people, pizzas serve 4: 6 pizzas, not 5.25). «Serve» someone (no «to»): serve the customers.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «serve» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/serve/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«serve» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/serve.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «serve» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/serve/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«serve» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/serve.html) on Mova free.