serve

être au service de

transitive verb

1. (do work, duty for)

a. être au service de (employer)

b. servir (country, community, public)

2. (in shop, bar, restaurant) (customer)

a. servir

She was busy serving a customer.Elle était occupée à servir un client.

3. (general)

a. servir (put on table) (food, meal, drink)

b. servir (give food to) (person)

4. (be useful for) (interests, cause, objectives)

a. servir

5. (prison term)

a. purger

He is serving a life sentence.Il purge une peine de prison à vie.

6. (apprenticeship)

a. faire

b. accomplir

intransitive verb

7. (do work, duty)

a. servir

The delegates serve for five years.Le mandat des délégués est de cinq ans.

8. (tennis)

a. servir

It's Williams to serve.C'est à Williams de servir.

noun

9. (tennis)

a. service (m)

It's your serve.C'est à toi de servir.

Collins French Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2023

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