serve
gb/sˈɚv/ us/sˈɚv/
A2
Anglų
~ 700
Reikšmės
0 reikšmių
Veiksmažodis
A2
action
1
Give food or drink to someone
To give food or drink to someone.
Vartosenos šablonas:
to serve [someone] [something]
Dažna klaida:
Learners sometimes confuse 'serve' with 'cook'; 'serve' means to give the prepared food, not to make it.
Sinonimai
offer (More general; can apply to anything, not just food or drink.)
Antonimai
withhold (Refuse to give something, such as food or drink.)
Kolokacijos
serve dinner
|serve drinks
|serve a meal
|serve customers
Temos
daily life
|hospitality
|food_drink
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Pavyzdžiai
- The waiter served us our meals quickly.
- They serve breakfast until 10 a.m.
- She served coffee to her guests after dinner.
Mokymuisi skirti pavyzdžiai
- The man served me soup.
- She serves tea in the morning.
- They serve lunch at noon.
Veiksmažodis
B1
action
2
Work for or help someone
To work for and help a person or group.
Vartosenos šablonas:
to serve [a person/an organization]
Dažna klaida:
Learners may confuse 'serve' with 'work'; 'serve' often implies duty, loyalty, or official role.
Sinonimai
assist (Focuses on helping rather than formal duty.)
Antonimai
neglect (Fail to fulfill duties toward someone or something.)
Kolokacijos
serve the public
|serve in the army
|serve a company
Temos
work
|government
|business
|core_vocabulary
Pavyzdžiai
- She served as secretary for five years.
- He served his country during the war.
- The lawyer has served many clients over the years.
Mokymuisi skirti pavyzdžiai
- He serves in the army.
- She serves the company well.
- They serve the people of this town.
Veiksmažodis
B2
action
3
Spend time completing duty or sentence
To spend a set time doing a job or being in prison.
Vartosenos šablonas:
to serve [a sentence/a term]
Dažna klaida:
Learners might confuse 'serve time' with 'spend time'; in legal context, 'serve' is specific to fulfilling a sentence.
Sinonimai
fulfill (More general; to carry out an obligation, not necessarily time-based.)
Antonimai
evade (Avoid serving time or duty.)
Kolokacijos
serve a sentence
|serve time in prison
|serve a term
Temos
law
|work
|core_vocabulary
Pavyzdžiai
- He served ten years in prison.
- She served two terms as mayor.
- They served their apprenticeship before becoming full members.
Mokymuisi skirti pavyzdžiai
- He served five years in jail.
- She served one year as president.
- They served their time and left.
Veiksmažodis
A2
action
4
Hit or throw ball to start play
To send the ball into play at the start of a point in a sport.
Vartosenos šablonas:
to serve [the ball]
Dažna klaida:
Learners sometimes confuse 'serve' with 'hit'; 'serve' is specifically the action that starts play.
Sinonimai
deliver (In sports, refers generally to sending the ball into play.)
Antonimai
receive (To be on the receiving end of a serve.)
Kolokacijos
serve an ace
|serve the ball
|serve into the net
Temos
sports
|core_vocabulary
Pavyzdžiai
- She served an ace to win the game.
- He served the ball over the net with great speed.
- It's your turn to serve.
Mokymuisi skirti pavyzdžiai
- She serves the ball fast.
- It is my turn to serve.
- He serves into the net.
Veiksmažodis
B1
state
5
Be used for a purpose
To be used for something.
Vartosenos šablonas:
to serve as [something]
Dažna klaida:
Learners may overuse 'is' instead of 'serve as' when describing function.
Sinonimai
function (Focuses on performing a role or purpose.)
Antonimai
fail (Not fulfill the intended purpose.)
Kolokacijos
serve as an example
|serve a purpose
|serve as a reminder
Temos
general
|core_vocabulary
Pavyzdžiai
- This incident serves as a warning to others.
- The sofa also serves as a bed.
- Her story serves as an inspiration.
Mokymuisi skirti pavyzdžiai
- This photo serves as a memory.
- The box serves as a table.
- Water serves many purposes.
Gramatika
Pagrindinė forma
serve
IPA
GB/sˈɚv/
US/sˈɚv/
Skiemenys ir kirčiavimas
serve (1 skiemuo)
Stress on 1st syllable (serve)
Žodžio formos
Verb
- Base: serve
- 3rd Person Singular: serves
- Present Participle: serving
- Past: served
Žodžių šeima
Forms
serves
verb
serving
verb
served
verb
Related words
servant
noun A2
Negative and opposite forms
disservice
noun
Advanced or less common
serviceable
adjective B2
servitude
noun C1
Posakiai
serve notice
1/sˈɚv nˈoʊtɪs/
fixed phrase
formal
Formally inform someone officially
To officially tell someone something, often about ending an agreement or starting legal action.
Pavyzdžiai
- The landlord served notice to vacate the apartment.
- They served notice of their intention to strike.
serve out one's term
1/sˈɚv ˈaʊt wˈʌnz tˈɚm/
fixed phrase
Complete full period before leaving role/sentence
To finish all the time you are supposed to spend in a job, office, or prison before leaving it.
Pavyzdžiai
- The president served out his term despite criticism.
- She served out her sentence and was released.
serve time
1/sˈɚv tˈaɪm/
fixed phrase
Spend time in prison as punishment
To be in prison for a set period as punishment for a crime.
Pavyzdžiai
- He served time for robbery.
- Many criminals serve time before returning to society.
serve up
1/sˈɚv ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Present food or something else for use/enjoyment
To give food or something else to people so they can eat, use, or enjoy it.
Pavyzdžiai
- They served up a delicious meal.
- The show serves up plenty of laughs.
serve someone right
1/sˈɚv sˈʌmwˌʌn ɹˈaɪt/
idiom
informal
Be deservedly punished or harmed
To mean that someone got what they deserved because of their actions.
Pavyzdžiai
- It serves him right for lying.
- If she failed the test, it serves her right; she never studied.
serve someone right
2/sˈɚv sˈʌmwˌʌn ɹˈaɪt/
idiom
informal
deserved punishment for actions
Used when something bad happens to someone because they deserve it for what they did.
Pavyzdžiai
- It serves him right for lying.
- If she failed, it serves her right after all that cheating.