deserve praise or thanks, give her credit David deserves credit for finding the lost keys. Thank you, boy.
first come, first served
the person who comes will have his turn first "First come, first served" she called as she put the food on the table.
if my memory serves me correctly
if I can remember well, if I have a good memory Your name is Jose - if my memory serves me correctly.
one good turn deserves another
if someone helps you it is fair to help them in return One good turn deserves another so we made a great effort to help those people who had helped us in the past.
serve notice
state your plans, say what you will do, spread the word If you enter the novel contest, you are serving notice that you are a serious writer.
serve one
be useful to someone for a certain need That tool should serve my purpose until I find the correct one.
serve someone right
get the punishment or results that one deserves He never studies at all so it serves him right to fail his exam.
serve the purpose
do the job, accomplish the task If you don't have an organ, a piano will serve the purpose.
serve them right
give them what they deserve If they cheat on a test, it serves them right if they get an F.
serve time
spend time in jail He served time when he was young but now he is a model citizen.
what did I do to deserve this
why am I being punished? no rest for the wicked "Working in the sewers, I thought, ""What did I do to deserve this?"""
serve
1. to defeat an opponent with skill 2. to deliver a subpoena
in reserve
put aside for future use保存起来；储备 They keep grain in reserve for emergencies．他们存粮以备急用。 He spent some of his money and kept the rest in reserve．他花了一部分钱，余款存了起来。
serve as
work as 充当 Let those who can serve as teachers．能者为师。 It may serve as teaching material by negative example．它可以作反面教材。
serve one's time
1．fulfil one's term 做满任期 He has served his time in the army．他已服役期满。 2．spend one's time in prison for a crime 服刑 He served his time in prison．他在狱中服刑。
serve out
distribute 分发 The cook served out tins of food to all the mountaineers．炊事员把罐头食品分发给所有的登山队员。
serve sbright
receive one's just punishment 罪有应得；活该 He failed his examination．It served him right because he had not studied．他考试不及格活该，因为他没有学习。 It serves you right to have lost your purse．You were always too care less about leaving it around．你丢了钱包活该，因为你总是粗心，到处乱放你的钱包。
serve up
prepare and serve（as food）准备并端上（饭菜）；上菜 Father caught a trout and Mother served it up at dinner．爸爸捉了条鲑鱼，妈妈将它烧好后端上餐桌。
serve sb right
Idiom(s): serve sb right
Theme: FAIRNESS
[for an act or event] to punish someone fairly [for doing something]. • John copied off my test paper. It would serve him right if he fails the test. • It'd serve John right if he got arrested.
serve as a guinea pig
Idiom(s): serve as a guinea pig
Theme: TEST - EXPERIMENT
[for someone] to be experimented on; to allow some sort of test to be performed on someone. • Try it on someone else! I don't want to serve as a guinea pig! • Jane agreed to serve as a guinea pig. She'll be the one to try out the new flavor of ice cream.
serve one's purpose
Idiom(s): answer someone's purpose AND serve someone's purpose
Theme: SERVING
to fit or suit someone's purpose. • This piece of wood will answer my purpose quite nicely. • The new car serves our purpose perfectly.
One good turn deserves another.
You should be helpful to someone who helps you.
Serve your country
When someone is serving their country, they have enrolled in the military.
First come, first served.
If one arrives early, one gets a better choice.
first come, first served|first|first come|served
truncated sent., informal If you arrive first, you will be served first; people will be waited on in the order they come; the person who comes first will have his turn first. Get in line for your ice cream, boys. First come, first served.The rule in the restaurant is first come, first served.The team's owners announced that tickets for the World Series would be sold on a first come, first served basis only.There are only a few seats left so it's first come, first served. Compare: EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM.
serve a sentence|sentence|serve
v. phr. To be in jail. Charlie served four years of an eight-year sentence, after which he was paroled and released.
serve notice|notice|serve
v. phr. 1. To notify one's employer in a formal or legal manner that one is quitting the former's employment. She gave notice to her boss that she was quitting because of marriage. 2. To notify an employee or a tenant that one no longer needs their services or wishes to have them as tenants. The new landlady gave notice to several families in our building because they were late in paying their rent.
serve one right|right|serve
v. phr. To be what (someone) really deserves as a punishment; be a fair exchange for what (someone) has done or said or failed to do or say. He failed his exam; it served him right because he had not studied.Bob said it served Sally right when she cut her finger; she had taken his knife without asking him. Compare: ASK FOR, HAVE IT COMING.
serve up|serve
v. To prepare and serve (as a food). Father caught a trout and Mother served it up at dinner.
break someone's serve
break someone's serve In tennis and related sports, win a game served by one's opponent, as in The only way he'll win the match is to break Bill's serve. The use of serve, from the earlier service, meaning “starting play” in these sports, dates from the early 1600s.
reserve 1. in reserve reserved for later use or for some person 2. without reserve 1) subject to no limitation 2) without any minimum or asking price: said of goods offered at auction
serve a purpose
serve a purpose Also, serve one's or the purpose. Be useful, meet the needs or requirements, satisfy, as in I don't know why they've added all this information but it probably serves a purpose, or It often serves his purpose to be vague, or We don't have a spading fork but this shovel should serve the purpose. This idiom was first recorded in 1513.
serve one right
serve one right Be deserved under the circumstances. For example, That punishment serves him right after what he's done to you. It is also put as serves you right, as in It wasn't accepted? Serves you right for applying so late. These idioms use serve in the sense of “treat in a specified manner,” in this case, justly. [Late 1500s]
well preserved
well preserved Aging gracefully, still in good condition, as in I can't believe she's 65; she's certainly well preserved. [Mid-1800s]
An serve idiom dictionary is a great resource for writers, students, and anyone looking to expand their vocabulary. It contains a list of words with similar meanings with serve, allowing users to choose the best word for their specific context.
Dictionary of similar words, Different wording, Synonyms, Idioms for Idiom, Proverb serve