• vt. 招待，供應；為…服務；對…有用；可作…用
• vi. 服役，服務；適合，足夠；發(fā)球；招待，侍候
• n. 發(fā)球，輪到發(fā)球
• n. (Serve)人名；(法)塞爾夫

來自拉丁語 servire,服務，服侍，來自 servus,奴隸，仆人，可能來自*ser,連接，排列，詞源 同 series,serial.引申諸相關詞義。

serve

serve: [13] Latin servus ‘slave’ has been a rich source of English vocabulary. It is the direct ancestor of serf [15] (and of the second syllable of concierge [17]). but it is its derivatives that have made the most numerous contributions. From the verb servīre ‘serve’ come deserve, dessert, sergeant, servant [13], serve, and serviette [15] (but not, despite the similarity, conserve, observe, preserve, reserve, etc, which go back to the unrelated Latin servāre ‘keep, protect’). Servītium ‘slavery’ has provided service [12] and its derivative serviceable [14], while from servīlis ‘slavish’ comes servile [14].
=> concierge, deserve, dessert, serf, serviette, servile

serve (v.)

late 12c., "to render habitual obedience to," also "minister, give aid, give help," from Old French servir "to do duty toward, show devotion to; set table, serve at table; offer, provide with," from Latin servire "be a servant, be in service, be enslaved;" figuratively "be devoted; be governed by; comply with; conform; flatter," originally "be a slave," related to servus "slave," perhaps from Etruscan (compare Etruscan proper names Servi, Serve, Latinized as Servius).

By c. 1200 also as "to be in the service of, perform a service for; attend upon, be personal servant to; be a slave; owe allegiance to; officiate at Mass or other religious rites;" from early 13c. as "set food at table;" mid-14c. as "to wait on (customers)." From late 14c. as "treat (someone or something) in some fashion." To serve (someone) right "to treat as he deserves" is recorded from 1580s.

He no schuld neuer wond
To seruen him fro fot to hond
["Amis and Amiloun," c. 1330]

Sense of "be useful, be beneficial, be suitable for a purpose or function" is from early 14c.; that of "take the place or meet the needs of, be equal to the task" is from late 14c.; that of "suffice" is from mid-15c. Meaning "render active military service" is from 1510s. Sporting sense, in tennis, badminton, etc., first recorded 1580s. Legal sense "present" (a writ, warrant,etc.), "give legal notice of" is from early 15c.

serve (n.)

1680s, in sports (tennis, etc.), from serve (v.).

1. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature, cut in squares.

等蛋糕溫熱或涼至室溫時切成四方塊端上桌。

來自柯林斯例句

2. The holes were sufficiently large to serve as nests.

這些洞作鳥巢足夠大。

來自柯林斯例句

3. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, toss and serve at once.

端離爐子，加上歐芹，顛起翻面后就立刻上桌。

來自柯林斯例句

4. There are only 35 staff to serve 30,000-plus customers.

只有35名員工，卻要為3萬多顧客服務。

來自柯林斯例句

5. The landlord refused to serve him because he considered him too drunk.

酒吧老板覺得他已經喝多了，拒絕再給他添酒。

來自柯林斯例句