SERVING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does serving mean? 

• SERVING (noun)
  The noun SERVING has 2 senses:

1. an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal

2. the act of delivering a writ or summons upon someone

  Familiarity information: SERVING used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SERVING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

helping; portion; serving

Context example:

there's enough for two servings each

Hypernyms ("serving" is a kind of...):

small indefinite amount; small indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude)

Meronyms (parts of "serving"):

mouthful; taste (a small amount eaten or drunk)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "serving"):

drumstick (the lower joint of the leg of a fowl)

second joint; thigh (the upper joint of the leg of a fowl)

breast; white meat (meat carved from the breast of a fowl)

wing (the wing of a fowl)

medallion (a circular helping of food (especially a boneless cut of meat))

oyster (a small muscle on each side of the back of a fowl)

parson's nose; pope's nose (the tail of a dressed fowl)

piece; slice (a serving that has been cut from a larger portion)

round; round of drinks (a serving to each of a group (usually alcoholic))

drink (a single serving of a beverage)

libation (a serving (of wine) poured out in honor of a deity)

Holonyms ("serving" is a part of...):

meal; repast (the food served and eaten at one time)

Derivation:

serve (help to some food; help with food or drink)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of delivering a writ or summons upon someone

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

service; service of process; serving

Context example:

he accepted service of the subpoena

Hypernyms ("serving" is a kind of...):

bringing; delivery (the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail))

 Context examples 

There were the old signs, the old names over the shops, the old people serving in them.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

A line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about.

(Header, NCI Thesaurus)

A class of professional or vocational positions of employment that involve food preparation or serving.

(Food Preparation and Serving, Related Occupations, NCI Thesaurus)

Whether you work for others or for yourself, you might be serving an international market.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

A single serving of a beverage; any liquid suitable for drinking.

(Drink, NCI Thesaurus)

I had a friend once called Maudsley, who went to the bad, and has just been serving his time in Pentonville.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In all your career you have never had so great a chance of serving your country.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Behind him his serving wench, her blue whimple over her head, and one hand thrust forth to bear the lanthorn which threw a golden bar of light along her master's path.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Did you never wish to have the honour of serving your country?”

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In serving these roles, AJs regulate normal cell growth and behavior.

(Beta Catenin, NCI Thesaurus/from OMIM)