serve

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• UK: /sɜːv/
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• US: /sɝv/
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• dialectal, obsolete: /sɑː(ɹ)v/
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• US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)v
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• CMU ARPABET: S ER1 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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From Middle English serven, from Old French servir, from Latin serviō (“be a slave; serve”), from Latin servus (“slave; servant”), which perhaps derives from Etruscan (compare Etruscan proper names 𐌔𐌄𐌓𐌅𐌉 (servi), 𐌔𐌄𐌓𐌅𐌄 (serve)), or from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“watch over, protect”).

334 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Arabic: إِرْسَال (ʔirsāl) — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Azerbaijani: veriş — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Bulgarian: сервис (servis) — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Catalan: servei — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Catalan: sacada — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Chinese Mandarin: 發球 /发球 (fāqiú) — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Faroese: serva — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Finnish: syöttö — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• French: service — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Galician: saque — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Galician: servicio — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• German: Angabe — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Hungarian: szerva — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Hungarian: adogatás — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Italian: servizio — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Japanese: サーブ (sābu) — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Korean: 서브 (seobeu) — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Malay: servis — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Persian: سرویس (servis) — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Polish: zagrywka — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Polish: serw — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Polish: serwis — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Portuguese: saque — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Portuguese: sacada — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Russian: пода́ча (podáča) — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Slovene: servis — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Spanish: servicio — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Swedish: serve — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Ukrainian: пода́ча (podáča) — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Welsh: serfiad — sports: act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play
• Albanian: shërbej — to work for
• Arabic: خَدَمَ (ḵadama) — to work for
• Arabic: خدم (ḵadam) — to work for
• Armenian: ծառայել (caṙayel) — to work for
• Belarusian: служы́ць (služýcʹ) — to work for
• Belarusian: паслужы́ць (paslužýcʹ) — to work for
• Bulgarian: слу́жа (slúža) — to work for
• Catalan: servir — to work for
• Chinese Mandarin: 服務 /服务 (fúwù) — to work for
• Cimbrian: diinan — to work for
• Czech: sloužit — to work for
• Danish: tjene — to work for
• Dutch: dienen — to work for
• Finnish: palvella — to work for
• French: servir — to work for
• Friulian: servî — to work for
• Galician: servir — to work for
• German: dienen — to work for
• Gothic: 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌻𐌺𐌹𐌽𐍉𐌽 (skalkinōn) — to work for
• Greek: υπηρετώ (ypiretó) — to work for
• Ancient Greek: λατρεύω (latreúō) — to work for
• Haitian Creole: sèvi — to work for
• Hebrew: עָבַד ('avád) — to work for
• Hebrew: שֵׁרֵת (sherét) — to work for
• Hindi: खिलाना (khilānā) — to work for
• Hungarian: szolgál — to work for
• Ingrian: palvoa — to work for
• Italian: servire — to work for
• Italian: essere in forza — to work for
• Italian: operare — to work for
• Italian: lavorare per — to work for
• Japanese: 務める (tsutomeru) — to work for
• Japanese: 勤務する (kinmu suru) — to work for
• Japanese: 服務する (fukumu suru) — to work for
• Korean: 근무하다 (geunmuhada) — to work for
• Korean: 복무하다 (bongmuhada) — to work for
• Central Kurdish: خزمەت کردن (xizmet kirdin) — to work for
• Northern Kurdish: xizmet kirin — to work for
• Latin: serviō — to work for
• Luxembourgish: déngen — to work for
• Macedonian: служи (služi) — to work for
• Malay: berkhidmat — to work for
• Malay: layan — to work for
• Malayalam: സേവിക്കുക (sēvikkuka) — to work for
• Mauritian Creole: servi — to work for
• Norwegian: tjene — to work for
• Occitan: servir — to work for
• Church Slavic: слꙋжити (služiti) — to work for
• Old East Slavic: служити (služiti) — to work for
• Old English: þeġnian — to work for
• Oromo: tajaajiluu — to work for
• Polish: służyć — to work for
• Portuguese: servir — to work for
• Romanian: servi — to work for
• Romansh: servir — to work for
• Romansh: survir — to work for
• Romansh: sarvir — to work for
• Romansh: sarveir — to work for
• Russian: служи́ть (služítʹ) — to work for
• Russian: послужи́ть (poslužítʹ) — to work for
• Russian: рабо́тать (rabótatʹ) — to work for
• Russian: порабо́тать (porabótatʹ) — to work for
• Sardinian: selvire — to work for
• Sardinian: serbire — to work for
• Sardinian: serbiri — to work for
• Sardinian: servire — to work for
• Sardinian: serviri — to work for
• Serbo-Croatian: слу́жити — to work for
• Serbo-Croatian: slúžiti — to work for
• Sicilian: sèrviri — to work for
• Sicilian: sirviri — to work for
• Sicilian: sièrviri — to work for
• Slovak: slúžiť — to work for
• Slovene: služiti — to work for
• Lower Sorbian: słužyś — to work for
• Upper Sorbian: słužić — to work for
• Spanish: servir — to work for
• Swedish: serva — to work for
• Thai: บริการ (bɔɔ-rí-gaan) — to work for
• Ukrainian: служи́ти (služýty) — to work for
• Venetan: servir — to work for
• Vietnamese: phục vụ — to work for
• Yiddish: דינען (dinen) — to work for
• Arabic: عَبَدَ (ʕabada) — religion: to obey and worship
• Bulgarian: служа (služa) — religion: to obey and worship
• Ngazidja Comorian: urumishiha — religion: to obey and worship
• Finnish: palvella — religion: to obey and worship
• French: servir — religion: to obey and worship
• Gothic: 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌻𐌺𐌹𐌽𐍉𐌽 (skalkinōn) — religion: to obey and worship
• Ancient Greek: λατρεύω (latreúō) — religion: to obey and worship
• Haitian Creole: sèvi — religion: to obey and worship
• Hebrew: עָבַד ('avád) — religion: to obey and worship
• Italian: venerare — religion: to obey and worship
• Italian: idolatrare — religion: to obey and worship
• Italian: obbedire — religion: to obey and worship
• Latin: oboedio — religion: to obey and worship
• Malay: mengabdi — religion: to obey and worship
• Malay: beribadah — religion: to obey and worship
• Portuguese: servir — religion: to obey and worship
• Russian: служи́ть (služítʹ) — religion: to obey and worship
• Russian: послужи́ть (poslužítʹ) — religion: to obey and worship
• Spanish: servir — religion: to obey and worship
• Ottoman Turkish: طاپمق (tapmak) — religion: to obey and worship
• Ottoman Turkish: عبادت ایتمك (ʼibâdet etmek) — religion: to obey and worship
• Ukrainian: служи́ти (služýty) — religion: to obey and worship
• Yiddish: דינען (dinen) — religion: to obey and worship
• Armenian: ծառայել (caṙayel) — to be subordinate to
• Bulgarian: подчинен съм (podčinen sǎm) — to be subordinate to
• Danish: tjene — to be subordinate to
• Finnish: avustaa — to be subordinate to
• Gothic: 𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌻𐌺𐌹𐌽𐍉𐌽 (skalkinōn) — to be subordinate to
• Italian: servire — to be subordinate to
• Portuguese: servir — to be subordinate to
• Russian: служи́ть (služítʹ) — to be subordinate to
• Russian: послужи́ть (poslužítʹ) — to be subordinate to
• Russian: рабо́тать (rabótatʹ) — to be subordinate to
• Russian: порабо́тать (porabótatʹ) — to be subordinate to
• Spanish: servir — to be subordinate to
• Swedish: tjäna — to be subordinate to
• Finnish: kosia — to be suitor to
• Finnish: kosiskella — to be suitor to
• Italian: attendere — to be suitor to
• Spanish: servir — to be suitor to
• Swedish: uppvakta — to be suitor to
• Bulgarian: обслужвам (obslužvam) — to attend, supply the wants of
• Dutch: serveren — to attend, supply the wants of
• Esperanto: servi — to attend, supply the wants of
• Finnish: tarjoilla — to attend, supply the wants of
• Hebrew: שֵׁרֵת (sherét) — to attend, supply the wants of
• Interlingua: servir — to attend, supply the wants of
• Italian: attendere — to attend, supply the wants of
• Italian: badare — to attend, supply the wants of
• Italian: occuparsi — to attend, supply the wants of
• Latin: prosum — to attend, supply the wants of
• Latin: serviō — to attend, supply the wants of
• Marshallese: buwae — to attend, supply the wants of
• Portuguese: servir — to attend, supply the wants of
• Romanian: servi — to attend, supply the wants of
• Russian: обслу́живать (obslúživatʹ) — to attend, supply the wants of
• Russian: обслужи́ть (obslužítʹ) — to attend, supply the wants of
• Spanish: servir — to attend, supply the wants of
• Ukrainian: обслуго́вувати (obsluhóvuvaty) — to attend, supply the wants of
• Arabic: قَدَّمَ (qaddama) — to bring food to
• Assamese: বাঢ়া (barha) — to bring food to
• Assamese: বঢ়া (borha) — to bring food to
• Belarusian: абно́сіць (abnósicʹ) — to bring food to
• Belarusian: абне́сці (abnjésci) — to bring food to
• Bulgarian: сервирам (serviram) — to bring food to
• Chinese Mandarin: 上菜 (shàngcài) — to bring food to
• Ngazidja Comorian: upvahua — to bring food to
• Czech: podávat — to bring food to
• Czech: servírovat — to bring food to
• Dutch: opdienen — to bring food to
• Dutch: bedienen — to bring food to
• Dutch: serveren — to bring food to
• Finnish: tarjoilla — to bring food to
• Finnish: tarjota — to bring food to
• French: servir — to bring food to
• German: servieren — to bring food to
• Ancient Greek: διακονέω (diakonéō) — to bring food to
• Hebrew: הִגִּישׁ (higgísh) — to bring food to
• Hebrew: שֵׁרֵת (sherét) — to bring food to
• Hindi: खिलाना (khilānā) — to bring food to
• Italian: servire — to bring food to
• Japanese: 出す (dasu) — to bring food to
• Japanese: のぼせる (noboseru) — to bring food to
• Khmer: បម្រើ (bɑmraə) — to bring food to
• Korean: 제공하다 (jegonghada) — to bring food to
• Luxembourgish: zerwéieren — to bring food to
• Malay: hidang — to bring food to
• Malay: layan — to bring food to
• Malay: saji — to bring food to
• Māori: whakarato — to bring food to
• Māori: tuari — to bring food to
• Marshallese: buwae — to bring food to
• Norwegian: servere — to bring food to
• Old English: þeġnian — to bring food to
• Persian: سرو کردن (serv kardan) — to bring food to
• Polish: serwować — to bring food to
• Polish: podawać — to bring food to
• Portuguese: servir — to bring food to
• Quechua: qaray — to bring food to
• Russian: подава́ть (podavátʹ) — to bring food to
• Russian: пода́ть (podátʹ) — to bring food to
• Spanish: servir — to bring food to
• Swedish: servera — to bring food to
• Thai: เสิร์ฟ (sə̀əp) — to bring food to
• Turkish: servis etmek — to bring food to
• Turkish: servis yapmak — to bring food to
• Ukrainian: подава́ти (podaváty) — to bring food to
• Ukrainian: обслуго́вувати (obsluhóvuvaty) — to bring food to
• Vietnamese: phục vụ — to bring food to
• Vietnamese: lên món — to bring food to
• Hebrew: הִגִּישׁ (higgísh) — to set down on a table to be eaten or drunk
• Latin: dapino — to set down on a table to be eaten or drunk
• Portuguese: servir — to set down on a table to be eaten or drunk
• Bulgarian: служа (služa) — to perform duties
• Chinese Mandarin: 當 /当 (dāng) — to perform duties
• Finnish: palvella — to perform duties
• Italian: ottemperare — to perform duties
• Italian: adempiere — to perform duties
• Russian: служи́ть (služítʹ) — to perform duties
• Russian: послужи́ть (poslužítʹ) — to perform duties
• Spanish: desempeñar — to perform duties
• Spanish: servir — to perform duties
• Spanish: fungir — to perform duties
• Swedish: tjäna — to perform duties
• Bulgarian: допринасям (doprinasjam) — to contribute, promote
• Finnish: hoitaa — to contribute, promote
• Bulgarian: замествам (zamestvam) — to act in place of
• Finnish: toimia — to act in place of
• Finnish: kohdella — to treat (someone)
• Spanish: servir — to treat (someone)
• Bulgarian: отбивам военна служба (otbivam voenna služba) — military: to work or operate
• Finnish: käyttää — military: to work or operate
• Hebrew: שֵׁרֵת (sherét) — military: to work or operate
• Italian: essere in forza — military: to work or operate
• Italian: operare — military: to work or operate
• Latin: militō — military: to work or operate
• Malay: kendali — military: to work or operate
• Spanish: cernir — military: to work or operate
• Spanish: cerner — military: to work or operate
• Bulgarian: връчвам (vrǎčvam) — legal: to bring to notice, deliver, or execute
• Finnish: saattaa tietoon — legal: to bring to notice, deliver, or execute
• French: signifier — legal: to bring to notice, deliver, or execute
• Hebrew: הִגִּישׁ (higgísh) — legal: to bring to notice, deliver, or execute
• Ukrainian: вруча́ти (vručáty) — legal: to bring to notice, deliver, or execute
• Ukrainian: вручи́ти (vručýty) — legal: to bring to notice, deliver, or execute
• Finnish: toimittaa — to make legal service on (someone)
• Finnish: toimia — to make legal service on (someone)
• Finnish: palvella — to make legal service on (someone)
• Bulgarian: лежа (leža) — to spend time (of punishment)
• Finnish: istua — to spend time (of punishment)
• French: purger — to spend time (of punishment)
• Hebrew: יָשַׁב (yasháv) — to spend time (of punishment)
• Italian: scontare — to spend time (of punishment)
• Luxembourgish: verbéissen — to spend time (of punishment)
• Luxembourgish: asëtzen — to spend time (of punishment)
• Portuguese: cumprir — to spend time (of punishment)
• Spanish: servir — to spend time (of punishment)
• Swedish: avtjäna — to spend time (of punishment)
• Finnish: astua — to copulate (of animals)
• Hebrew: שִׁמֵּשׁ (shimmésh) — to copulate (of animals)
• Italian: coprire — to copulate (of animals)
• Swedish: betäcka — to copulate (of animals)
• Bulgarian: сервирам (serviram) — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Catalan: servir — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Catalan: sacar — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Czech: podat — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Faroese: serva — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Finnish: syöttää — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• French: servir — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Galician: sacar — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Galician: servir — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• German: aufschlagen — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• German: den Aufschlag haben — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Hebrew: הִגִּישׁ (higgísh) — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Hungarian: adogat — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Hungarian: szervál — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Italian: servire — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Italian: battere — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Norwegian: serve — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Norwegian: sørve — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Portuguese: sacar — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Portuguese: servir — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Spanish: servir — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Swedish: serva — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Welsh: serfio — sports: to lead off with first delivery (of the ball)
• Bulgarian: подсилвам (podsilvam) — to wind spun yarn
• Finnish: rihmata — to wind spun yarn
• Arabic: خَدَمَ (ḵadama) — to be a servant
• Bulgarian: слуга съм (sluga sǎm) — to be a servant
• Finnish: palvella — to be a servant
• French: servir — to be a servant
• German: dienen — to be a servant
• Hebrew: שֵׁרֵת (sherét) — to be a servant
• Italian: servire — to be a servant
• Latin: servio — to be a servant
• Russian: служи́ть (služítʹ) — to be a servant
• Russian: послужи́ть (poslužítʹ) — to be a servant
• Spanish: servir — to be a servant
• Swahili: kutumika — to be a servant
• Swedish: tjäna — to be a servant
• Finnish: palvella — to perform domestic offices
• Hebrew: כִּהֵן (kihén) — to perform domestic offices
• Hebrew: שִׁמֵּשׁ (shimmésh) — to perform domestic offices
• Malayalam: സേവിക്കുക (sēvikkuka) — to perform domestic offices
• Arabic: خَدَمَ (ḵadama) — to be in service
• Finnish: palvella — to be in service
• Ingrian: sluužia — to be in service
• Latin: servio — to be in service
• Malayalam: സേവിക്കുക (sēvikkuka) — to be in service
• Māori: rato — to be in service
• Russian: служи́ть (služítʹ) — to be in service
• Russian: послужи́ть (poslužítʹ) — to be in service
• Finnish: toimia — to be of use
• French: servir — to be of use
• Hebrew: שִׁמֵּשׁ (shimmésh) — to be of use
• Māori: rato — to be of use
• Russian: служи́ть (služítʹ) — to be of use
• Russian: послужи́ть (poslužítʹ) — to be of use
• Spanish: servir — to be of use
• Swedish: tjäna — to be of use
• Swedish: fungera — to be of use