Serve (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Served (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Serving.]
[OE. serven, servien, OF. & F. servir, fr. L. servire; akin to servus a
servant or slave, servare to protect, preserve, observe; cf. Zend har
to protect, haurva protecting. Cf. Conserve, Desert merit, Dessert,
Observe, Serf, Sergeant.] 1. To work for; to labor in behalf of; to
exert one's self continuously or statedly for the benefit of; to do
service for; to be in the employment of, as an inferior, domestic,
serf, slave, hired assistant, official helper, etc.; specifically, in a
religious sense, to obey and worship.
God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit.
Rom. i. 9.
Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for
Rachel thy younger daughter.
Gen. xxix. 18.
No man can serve two masters.
Matt. vi. 24.
Had I but served my God with half the zeal I served my king, he
would not in mine age Have left me naked to mine enemies.
Shak.
2. To be subordinate to; to act a secondary part under; to appear as
the inferior of; to minister to.
Bodies bright and greater should not serve The less not bright.
Milton.