- perform duties or services for (another person or an organization)为（人, 机构）服务：
Malcolm has served the church very faithfully.
马尔科姆非常忠诚地为教会服务。
- provide (an area or group of people) with a product or service为（一地区, 一群人）提供产品（或服务）：
a hospital which serves a large area of Wales.
为威尔士一大块地区提供服务的医院。
- no obj. be employed as a member of the armed forces服兵役：
he had hoped to serve with the Medical Corps.
他曾希望跟着医疗队服役。
- spend (a period) in office, in an apprenticeship, or in prison任职; 做学徒; 服刑：
he is serving a ten-year jail sentence.
他正处于十年监禁的服刑期间。
- present (food or drink) to someone供应, 上（食物, 饮料）：
they serve wine instead of beer
他们供应葡萄酒而不是啤酒
with obj. and complement serve white wines chilled.上冰镇白葡萄酒。
- present (someone) with food or drink为（人）上食物（或饮料）：
the cafe refused to serve him with the tea
咖啡馆拒绝卖茶给他
with two objs Peter served them generous portions of soup.彼得给他们端上了分量很足的汤。
- (of food or drink) be enough for（食物, 饮料）足够; 够：
the recipe serves four people.
这一菜谱为四人量。
- attend to (a customer in a shop)接待（顾客）：
she turned to serve the impatient customer.
她转身去接待那个不耐烦的顾客。
- supply (goods) to a customer提供（商品）给顾客。
- no obj. Christian Church act as a server at the celebration of the Eucharist【基督教】在弥撒中担任助祭。
- with two objs archaic play (a trick) on (someone)〈古〉对…耍（花招）; 开（某人）（玩笑）：
I remember the trick you served me.
我记得你对我开的玩笑。
- Law deliver (a document such as a summons or writ) in a formal manner to the person to whom it is addressed【律】送达（传票、令状等）：
the court then issues the summons and serves it on your debtor.
法庭然后签署传票送达你的债务人。
- deliver a document to (someone) in such a way向…送达文书：
they were just about to serve him with a writ.
他们正准备给他送达一张令状。
- be of use in achieving or satisfying实现; 满足：
this book will serve a useful purpose
这本书将会派上用途
the union came into existence to serve the interests of musicians.
协会的成立是为了满足音乐家的利益。
- no obj. be of some specified use有用, 起作用：
the square now serves as the town's chief car park
广场现在用作该镇的主要停车场
with infinitive sweat serves to cool down the body.出汗起到给身体降温的作用。
- with obj. and adverbial treat (someone) in a specified way对待：
Cornish houseowners wonder if they are being fairly served.
康沃尔郡的房主们想知道他们是否正受到公平对待。
- (of a male breeding animal) copulate with (a female)（雄性种畜）与（雌性）交配。
- no obj.(in tennis and other racket sports) hit the ball or shuttlecock to begin play for each point of a game（网球等用拍的运动）发球：
he tossed the ball up to serve
他把球抛起发球
with obj. serve the ball on to the front wall.朝着前面的墙发球。
- Nautical bind (a rope) with thin cord to protect or strengthen it【航海】卷缠（绳索）。
- Military operate (a gun)【军】操作（枪炮）：
before long Lodge was the only man in his section able to serve the guns.
很快洛奇就成了小队里唯一能操作枪炮的人了。
- (in tennis and other racket sports) an act of hitting the ball or shuttlecock to start play（网球等用拍的运动的）发球：
he was let down by an erratic serve.
一个怪异的发球使他失误了。
- Austral. informal a reprimand〈澳, 非正式〉申斥：
he would be willing to give the country a serve in an English newspaper.
他会愿意在一家英国报纸上给该国一顿申斥。
if my memory serves me
- if I remember correctly如果我没记错的话。
serve at table
- act as a waiter当侍者。
serve someone right
- be someone's deserved punishment or misfortune罪有应得; 活该：
it would serve you right if Jeff walked out on you.
如果杰夫离你而去的话, 那你活该。
serve one's time （〈主美〉亦作serve out one's time）
- hold office for the normal period任期内任职。
- （亦作serve time）spend time in office, in an apprenticeship, or in prison任职; 当学徒; 服刑。
serve one's/its turn
- be useful有用; 起作用。
serve someone's turn
- be useful to someone对某人有用。
serve two masters
- take orders from two superiors or follow two conflicting or opposing principles or policies at the same time侍二主; 同时遵循两种相悖的原则（或政策）。
- ORIGIN: with biblical allusion to Matt. 6:24.
serve out
- Tennis win the final game of a set or match while serving【网球】发球赢得最后的比赛：
Fitzgerald then served out for the set.
费茨杰拉德本局最后一场凭发球取胜。