service

ser·vice (sûr

a. Employment in duties or work for another, as for a government: has been in the company's service for 15 years.

b. A government branch or department and its employees: the diplomatic service.

a. The armed forces of a nation: joined the service right after college.

b. A branch of the armed forces of a nation.

3. The performance of work or duties for a superior or as a servant: found the butler's service to be excellent.

a. Work done for others as an occupation or business: has done service for us as a consultant.

b. An act or a variety of work done for others, especially for pay: offers a superior service to that of his competitors; provides full catering services.

5. A department or branch of a hospital staff that provides specified patient care: the anesthesiology service.

6. Installation, maintenance, or repairs provided or guaranteed by a dealer or manufacturer: a dealer with full parts and service.

7. A facility providing the public with the use of something, such as water or transportation.

a. Assistance; help: was of great service to him during his illness.

b. An act of assistance or benefit; a favor: My friend did me a service in fixing the door.

a. Active devotion to God, as through good works or prayer.

b. A religious rite.

10.

a. The serving of food or the manner in which it is served.

b. A set of dishes or utensils: a silver tea service.

11. Sports The act, manner, or right of serving in many court games; a serve.

12. Copulation with a female animal. Used of male animals, especially studs.

13. Law The serving of a writ or summons.

14. The material, such as cord, used in binding or wrapping rope.

15. An answering service.

tr.v. ser·viced, ser·vic·ing, ser·vic·es

1. To make fit for use; adjust, repair, or maintain: service a car.

2. To provide services to.

3. To make interest payments on (a debt).

a. To copulate with (a female animal). Used of a male animal, especially studs.

b. Slang To have sex with.

adj.

1. Of or relating to the armed forces of a country.

2. Intended for use in supplying or serving: a service elevator; the service entrance.

3. Offering repairs or maintenance: a service guarantee; a road service area.

4. Offering services to the public in response to need or demand: a service industry.

Idioms:

at (someone's) service

Ready to help or be of use.

be of service

To be ready to help or be useful.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin servitium, slavery, from servus, slave.]

Usage Note: Aside from specialized senses in finance (service a debt) and animal breeding (service a mare), the verb service is used principally in the sense "to repair or maintain": service the washing machine. In the sense "to supply goods or services to," serve is the correct choice: One radio network serves three states.

service

Noun

1. an act of help or assistance

2. an organization or system that provides something needed by the public: a consumer information service

3. a department of public employment and its employees: the diplomatic service

4. the installation or maintenance of goods provided by a dealer after a sale

5. availability for use by the public: the new plane could be in service within fifteen years

6. a regular check made on a machine or vehicle in which parts are tested, cleaned, or replaced if worn

7. the serving of guests or customers: service is included on the wine list

8. one of the branches of the armed forces

9. the serving of food: silver service

10. a set of dishes, cups, and plates for use at table

11. a formal religious ceremony

12. Tennis, squash, etc.

a. the act, manner, or right of serving the ball

b. the game in which a particular player serves: she dropped only one point on her service

Adjective

1. of or for the use of servants or employees: a service elevator

2. serving the public rather than producing goods: service industries

Verb

[-vicing, -viced]

1. to provide service or services to

2. to check and repair (a vehicle or machine)

3. (of a male animal) to mate with (a female animal)

See also services [Latin servitium condition of a slave]

Service the settings for a table; sets of dishes, etc.

Examples: service of china, 1788; of gilt plate, 1669; of plate; of tableware.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	service - work done by one person or group that benefits another; "budget separately for goods and services" work - activity directed toward making or doing something; "she checked several points needing further work" consulting service - service provided by a professional advisor (e.g., a lawyer or doctor or CPA etc.) facility - a service that an organization or a piece of equipment offers you; "a cell phone with internet facility" national service - compulsory service in the military during peacetime utility - the service (electric power or water or transportation) provided by a public utility; "the cost of utilities never decreases"; "all the utilities were lost after the hurricane"
	2.	service - an act of help or assistance; "he did them a service" assist, assistance, help, aid - the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose; "he gave me an assist with the housework"; "could not walk without assistance"; "rescue party went to their aid"; "offered his help in unloading" child care, childcare - a service involving care for other people's children community service - an unpaid service for the benefit of the public that is performed by lawbreakers as part (or all) of their sentence community service, public service - a service that is performed for the benefit of the public or its institutions help desk, helpdesk - a service that provides information and assistance to the users of a computer network seating - the service of ushering people to their seats disservice, ill service, ill turn - an act intended to help that turns out badly; "he did them a disservice"
	3.	service - the act of public worship following prescribed rules; "the Sunday service" divine service, religious service religious ceremony, religious ritual - a ceremony having religious meaning church service, church - a service conducted in a house of worship; "don't be late for church" devotional - a short religious service prayer meeting, prayer service - a service at which people sing hymns and pray together chapel service, chapel - a service conducted in a place of worship that has its own altar; "he was late for chapel" committal service - service committing a body to the grave; "the committal service will be held next Monday" none - a service in the Roman Catholic Church formerly read or chanted at 3 PM (the ninth hour counting from sunrise) but now somewhat earlier vesper - a late afternoon or evening worship service watch night - a devotional service (especially on New Year's Eve) invocation, supplication - a prayer asking God's help as part of a religious service
	4.	service - a company or agency that performs a public service; subject to government regulation company - an institution created to conduct business; "he only invests in large well-established companies"; "he started the company in his garage" public utility, public utility company, public-service corporation, utility - a company that performs a public service; subject to government regulation
	5.	service - employment in or work for another; "he retired after 30 years of service" employment, work - the occupation for which you are paid; "he is looking for employment"; "a lot of people are out of work"
	6.	service - a force that is a branch of the armed forces armed service, military service army, ground forces, regular army - a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state naval forces, navy - an organization of military vessels belonging to a country and available for sea warfare coastguard - a military service responsible for the safety of maritime traffic in coastal waters Marines - members of a body of troops trained to serve on land or at sea air force, airforce - the airborne branch of a country's armed forces military force, military group, military unit, force - a unit that is part of some military service; "he sent Caesar a force of six thousand men" armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" personnel, force - group of people willing to obey orders; "a public force is necessary to give security to the rights of citizens"
	7.	Service - Canadian writer (born in England) who wrote about life in the Yukon Territory (1874-1958) Robert William Service
	8.	service - a means of serving; "of no avail"; "there's no help for it" avail, help helpfulness - the property of providing useful assistance
	9.	service - tableware consisting of a complete set of articles (silver or dishware) for use at table table service dinner service, dinner set - a table service for serving dinner place setting, setting - a table service for one person; "a place setting of sterling flatware" tableware - articles for use at the table (dishes and silverware and glassware)
	10.	service - the act of mating by male animals; "the bull was worth good money in servicing fees" servicing mating, pairing, sexual union, union, coupling, conjugation - the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes; "the casual couplings of adolescents"; "the mating of some species occurs only in the spring"
	11.	service - (law) the acts performed by an English feudal tenant for the benefit of his lord which formed the consideration for the property granted to him activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity" socage - land tenure by agricultural service or payment of rent; not burdened with military service military service - land tenure by service in the lord's army knight's service - land tenure by service to the lord as a knight common law, precedent, case law - (civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions
	12.	service - (sports) a stroke that puts the ball in play; "his powerful serves won the game" serve squash rackets, squash racquets, squash - a game played in an enclosed court by two or four players who strike the ball with long-handled rackets badminton - a game played on a court with light long-handled rackets used to volley a shuttlecock over a net lawn tennis, tennis - a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court tennis shot, tennis stroke - the act of hitting a tennis ball with a tennis racket ace - a serve that the receiver is unable to reach fault - (sports) a serve that is illegal (e.g., that lands outside the prescribed area); "he served too many double faults" net ball, let - a serve that strikes the net before falling into the receiver's court; the ball must be served again
	13.	service - the act of delivering a writ or summons upon someone; "he accepted service of the subpoena" service of process, serving bringing, delivery - the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail); "his reluctant delivery of bad news"
	14.	service - periodic maintenance on a car or machine; "it was time for an overhaul on the tractor" inspection and repair, overhaul maintenance, upkeep, care - activity involved in maintaining something in good working order; "he wrote the manual on car care" interim overhaul - an overhaul between the regular times for overhauling
	15.	service - the performance of duties by a waiter or servant; "that restaurant has excellent service" curb service - service provided to customers who remain in their vehicles self-service - the practice of serving yourself (as in a grocery or cafeteria) valet parking - a service provided (at a club or restaurant or airport etc.) whereby a patron leaves a car at the entrance and an attendant parks and retrieves it accommodation - the act of providing something (lodging or seat or food) to meet a need
Verb	1.	service - be used by; as of a utility; "The sewage plant served the neighboring communities"; "The garage served to shelter his horses" serve function, operate, work, run, go - perform as expected when applied; "The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in"; "Does this old car still run well?"; "This old radio doesn't work anymore" serve, function - serve a purpose, role, or function; "The tree stump serves as a table"; "The female students served as a control group"; "This table would serve very well"; "His freedom served him well"; "The table functions as a desk"
	2.	service - make fit for use; "service my truck"; "the washing machine needs to be serviced" tune, tune up - adjust for (better) functioning; "tune the engine"
	3.	service - mate with; "male animals serve the females for breeding purposes" serve stand - be available for stud services; "male domestic animals such as stallions serve selected females" copulate, mate, couple, pair - engage in sexual intercourse; "Birds mate in the Spring"