0 past simple and past participle of serve
3 to help achieve something or to be useful as something:
An official investigation would not serve any useful purpose.
The judge said that the fine would serve as a warning to other drivers.
In the absence of anything better the settee could serve as a bed for a couple of nights.
[ + to infinitive ] Nothing serves to explain the violent fighting we have seen recently.
4 to provide with something that is needed:
The report says the police are out of touch with the communities that they serve.
5 in a shop, restaurant, or hotel, to deal with a customer by taking their order, showing or selling them goods, etc.:
UK Are you being served, madam?
US Have you been served, ma'am?
That's the restaurant where they refused to serve John because he was so rude.
7 in sports such as tennis, to hit the ball to the other player as a way of starting the game:
8 to give a legal document to someone, demanding that they go to a law court or that they obey an order:
He served for eight years as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Police officers aren't usually allowed to be serve on a jury.
Panellists on the Arts Review Board serve for a maximum of three years.
