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to serve

to serve

1.8
To be used for a specific purpose or to help achieve something
  • verb
  • /sɜrv/
translation icon : servir para
  • The second thing, it does serve a real purpose.
  • serve a purpose
  • serve well
  • serve a function

I do it because stocks serve as reserves.

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Examples

  • Ultimately, archivists can more effectively serve their institutions' users by knowing more about them.

    Academic text (2015)
  • As for the program studied, the school is serving more students than it ever has.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Skills that will serve them well throughout their life.

  • Actually, all of these plants serve more than just adding beauty.

  • Head Start schools provide an educational foundation but also serve physical and mental health needs.

    Academic text (2015)
  • We can serve our weakness, or we can serve our purpose.

  • As with other certification programs, the fellowship serves educational and marketing purposes for its members.

    Academic text (2017)
  • The library website is designed, or should be, to serve the library's patrons, not the staff.

    Academic text (2015)
  • The new software is designed to serve as a tool for better project management.

  • This initiative aims to serve the community by providing free educational resources.

Synonyms

to do
vsto serve
1.0

Be enough for what is needed

is broader, also meaning fulfill a role or help cause outcomes
to function
vsto serve
441 2.6

To work in a particular role or job

is used more generally to help or fulfill various purposes
to act
vsto serve
279 1.0

Have an effect or work in a certain way

is about fulfilling a role more permanently or generally
to act as
vsto serve
199 2.6

Serve in the role of a person or thing

is used to indicate general purpose rather than specific role
to suffice
vsto serve
99 4.7

To be enough for what is needed

includes doing a function or helping bring about a result beyond mere adequacy
to answer
vsto serve
26 3.5

To be enough to meet a need or purpose

covers use for purpose but also helping achieve results beyond matching needs
to subserve
vsto serve
  • Formal
1 9.9

To help achieve a goal or plan

focuses more on directly fulfilling or occupying a role rather than merely aiding

Antonyms

75 3.6

To make it difficult for people or things to do something

Idioms

22 7.3

A punishment that someone deserves because of their own wrong actions

To try to please two people or groups who want different things and fail to please either

3 6.6

To get a bad result you deserve because of what you did

To be good enough for a purpose for a short time

To be useful to someone in the future

Phrasal Verbs

35 6.7

To spend time in prison as punishment for a crime

34 1.4

To give food or drink to people

Provide alcohol to customers or guests

5 6.5

To give someone an official written letter telling them about a change or end of an agreement

Be useful to someone when they need it

To be a member of a country's army for work or because the law makes you

To form a background that makes the main subject look better

Act as a way to pass information between groups

6.9

Lose a game in tennis when you are the player who starts the point

To go with a person like an ambassador to protect or show respect

Compounds

5.1

A game one player wins while the opponent is serving

People get things in the order they arrive, with no reservations

How Useful

to serve
1.8
to contribute
883 2.7

Surface Forms

serve infinitive
served past
served past participle
serving present participle
serves third person singular

Etymology

The word serve comes from the old root serv-, from servire meaning 'to serve' or 'be useful to'. So when something 'serves' a purpose it is useful and does the job it is meant to do.