serve

servir

Apporter ou donner à manger ou à boire à quelqu’un.

En anglais simple : To bring or give food or drinks to people so they can eat or drink them.

• We serve breakfast at eight.
• The waiter served us coffee.
• Is this dish served hot or cold?

Comment l'utiliser : serve someone something (They served us fresh bread.); serve something with something (Serve the soup with bread.)

Expressions courantes : serve dinner, serve someone something, serve with something

servir

Être utile pour un usage précis ou répondre à un besoin.

En anglais simple : To be useful for a particular purpose or meet a particular need.

• This box can serve as a table.
• The old bridge still serves a useful purpose.
• Her experience served her well in her new job.

Comment l'utiliser : serve as something (This room serves as an office.); serve to do something (The diagram serves to explain the process.)

Synonymes : function

Expressions courantes : serve as something, serve a purpose, serve someone well

servir, travailler

Travailler pour une personne ou une organisation, souvent dans une fonction précise.

En anglais simple : To work for a person or organization, often in a particular role.

• She serves in the army.
• He served as mayor for ten years.
• My grandfather served the same family throughout his working life.

Comment l'utiliser : serve in something (He served in the navy for six years.); serve as something (She served as chair of the committee.); serve under someone (They served under an experienced commander.)

Synonymes : work for

Expressions courantes : serve in something, serve as something, serve the country

purger

Passer une période en prison pour subir une peine.

En anglais simple : To spend a period in prison as a punishment.

• He served two years in prison.
• She has already served half her sentence.
• How much time did they serve for the robbery?

Comment l'utiliser : serve time for something (He served time for theft.)

Expressions courantes : serve time, serve a sentence, serve five years

servir

Engager un point, au tennis par exemple, en frappant la balle vers l’adversaire.

En anglais simple : To start a point in a game such as tennis by hitting the ball to your opponent.

• It is your turn to serve.
• She served an ace to win the game.
• Who will serve first in the next set?

Expressions courantes : serve the ball, serve first, serve an ace

signifier, notifier

Remettre officiellement un document juridique exigeant une réponse ou une action.

En anglais simple : To officially give someone a legal document that requires them to respond or take action.

• They served the court papers yesterday.
• A lawyer served her with a summons.
• The notice must be served on every tenant.

Comment l'utiliser : serve someone with something (The tenant was served with an eviction notice.); serve something on someone (They served the summons on him at work.)

Synonymes : deliver

Expressions courantes : serve a summons, serve notice, serve someone with something

service

Coup qui engage un point dans un jeu comme le tennis.

En anglais simple : The shot that starts a point in a game such as tennis.

• It is your serve.
• Her powerful serve won the point.
• He missed both serves and lost the game.

Synonymes : service

Expressions courantes : first serve, powerful serve, your serve

look canon

Apparence ou prestation qui impressionne et suscite l’admiration.

En anglais simple : A striking look or performance that people admire.

• That outfit is a serve.
• Her red carpet look was a total serve.
• The dramatic makeup and silver boots were such a serve.

Expressions courantes : such a serve, a total serve