noun
- an act of helpful activity; help; aid: to do someone a service.
- the supplying or supplier of utilities or commodities, as water, electricity, or gas, required or demanded by the public.
- the providing or a provider of accommodation and activities required by the public, as maintenance, repair, etc.: The manufacturer guarantees service and parts.
- the organized system of apparatus, appliances, employees, etc., for supplying some accommodation required by the public: a television repair service.
- the supplying or a supplier of public communication and transportation: telephone service; bus service.
- the performance of duties or the duties performed as or by a waiter or servant; occupation or employment as a waiter or servant.
- employment in any duties or work for a person, organization, government, etc.
- a department of public employment, an administrative division of a government, or the body of public servants in it: the diplomatic service.
- the duty or work of public servants.
- the serving of a sovereign, state, or government in some official capacity.
- Military.
- the armed forces: in the service.
- a branch of the armed forces, as the army or navy: Which service were you in during the war?
- Ordnance. the actions required in loading and firing a cannon: service of the piece.
- Often services. the performance of any duties or work for another; helpful or professional activity: medical services.
- something made or done by a commercial organization for the public benefit and without regard to direct profit: Certain books are published at a loss as a public service.
- Also called divine service. public religious worship according to prescribed form and order.
- a ritual or form prescribed for public worship or for some particular occasion: the marriage service.
- the serving of God by obedience, piety, etc.: voluntary service.
- a musical setting of the sung portions of a liturgy.
- a set of dishes, utensils, etc., for general table use or for particular use: a tea service; service for eight.
- answering service.
- Law. the serving of a process or writ upon a person.
- Nautical. tarred spun yarn or other small stuff for covering the exterior of a rope.
- (in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.)
- the act or manner of putting the ball or shuttlecock into play; serve.
- the ball or shuttlecock as put into play.
- the mating of a female animal with the male.
adjective
- of service; useful.
- of, relating to, or used by servants, delivery people, etc., or in serving food: service stairs; the service pieces in a set of dishes.
- supplying aids or services rather than products or goods: Medicine is one of the service professions.
- supplying maintenance and repair: He operates a service center for electrical appliances.
- of, for, or pertaining to the armed forces of a country or one of them: a service academy.
- charged for providing service: a service fee of 15 percent on the restaurant check.
- providing, authorizing, or guaranteeing service: a service industry; a service contract.
verb (used with object), serv·iced, serv·ic·ing.
- to make fit for use; repair; restore to condition for service: to service an automobile.
- to supply with aid, information, or other incidental services.
- (of a male animal) to mate with (a female animal).
- Finance. to pay off (a debt) over a period of time, as by meeting periodic interest payments.
Idioms
- at someone’s service, ready to be of help or use to someone; at one’s disposal: You will have an English-speaking guide at your service.
- be of service, to be helpful or useful: If we can be of service, do not hesitate to call.
noun
- a service tree, especially Sorbus domestica.
- the shadbush.
pl n
- work performed for remuneration
- the services the armed forces
- (sometimes singular) economics commodities, such as banking, that are mainly intangible and usually consumed concurrently with their productionCompare goods (def. 2)
- a system of providing the public with gas, water, etc
noun
- Robert (William). 1874–1958, Canadian poet, born in England; noted for his ballad-like poems of gold-rush era Yukon, such as ‘The Shooting of Dan McGrew’; his books include Songs of a Sourdough (1907)
noun
- an act of help or assistance
- an organized system of labour and material aids used to supply the needs of the publictelephone service; bus service
- the supply, installation, or maintenance of goods carried out by a dealer
- the state of availability for use by the public (esp in the phrases into or out of service)
- a periodic overhaul made on a car, machine, etc
- the act or manner of serving guests, customers, etc, in a shop, hotel, restaurant, etc
- a department of public employment and its employeescivil service
- employment in or performance of work for anotherhe has been in the service of our firm for ten years
- the work of a public servant
-
- one of the branches of the armed forces
- (as modifier)service life
- the state, position, or duties of a domestic servant (esp in the phrase in service)
- the act or manner of serving food
- a complete set of dishes, cups, etc, for use at table
- public worship carried out according to certain prescribed formsdivine service
- the prescribed form according to which a specific kind of religious ceremony is to be carried outthe burial service
- a unified collection of musical settings of the canticles and other liturgical items prescribed by the Book of Common Prayer as used in the Church of England
- sport
- the act, manner, or right of serving a ball
- the game in which a particular player serveshe has lost his service Often shortened to: serve
- (in feudal law) the duty owed by a tenant to his lord
- the serving of a writ, summons, etc, upon a person
- nautical a length of tarred marline or small stuff used in serving
- (of male animals) the act of mating
- (modifier) of, relating to, or for the use of servants or employees
- (modifier) serving the public rather than producing goods
verb (tr)
- to provide service or services
- to make fit for use
- to supply with assistance
- to overhaul (a car, machine, etc)
- (of a male animal) to mate with (a female)
- British to meet interest and capital payments on (debt)
noun
- See service tree
n.1c.1100, “celebration of public worship,” from Old French servise “act of homage; servitude; service at table; Mass, church ceremony,” from Latin servitium “slavery, condition of a slave, servitude,” also “slaves collectively,” from servus “slave” (see serve (v.)). Meaning “act of serving, occupation of an attendant servant” is attested from c.1200, as is that of “assistance, help; a helpful act.” From c.1300 as “provision of food; sequence of dishes served in a meal;” from late 14c. as “service at table, attendance during a meal.” Meaning “the furniture of the table” (tea service, etc.) is from mid-15c. Meanings “state of being bound to undertake tasks for someone or at someone’s direction; labor performed or undertaken for another” are mid-13c. Sense of “service or employment in a court or administration” is from c.1300, as is that of “military service (especially by a knight); employment as a soldier;” hence “the military as an occupation” (1706). Also in Middle English “sexual intercourse, conjugal relations” (mid-15c.; service of Venus, or flesh’s service). Service industry (as distinct from production) attested from 1938. A service station originally was a gas stop that also repaired cars. v.1893, “to provide with service,” from service (n.1). Meaning “perform work on” first recorded 1926. Related: Serviced; servicing. n.2type of tree or berry, extended form of serve (perhaps via Middle English plural serves being taken as a singular), from Old English syrfe, Old French sorbe, both from Vulgar Latin *sorbea, from Latin sorbus (see sorb). Work done for others as an occupation or business. (Compare goods.) see at someone’s service; break someone’s serve (service); lip service; of service to someone; press into service.