serving

[ sur-ving ]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that serves.
2. a single portion of food or drink; helping.
3. Electricity. a layer of material, as jute yarn or tape, that is applied to the core or the exterior of a lead-covered cable and acts as a protective covering.

adjective

1. for use in distributing food to or at the table:

   a serving tray.

serving

/ ˈsɜːvɪŋ /

noun

1. a portion or helping of food or drink

Other Words From

• un·serving adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of serving¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; serve + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

One reason the subject is so sensitive is that accounts of some of Trump’s unorthodox first-term dealings with serving and retired military officials are fresh in the minds of many, aired in the final weeks of the presidential campaign.

From Los Angeles Times

Nonetheless, Trump made clear his determination to leave his mark on the U.S. armed forces, consisting of about 1.3 million active-duty troops and another 1.4 million serving in the National Guard.

From Los Angeles Times

Gabbard, like many other "America First" proponents, exempts Israel from her quasi-isolationist critiques, once describing pro-Palestine protesters as puppets of a "radical Islamist organization" and serving as a keynote speaker at a conference hosted by Christians United for Israel.

From Salon

Gabbard, who served in the Hawaii National Guard and then joined an Army reserve unit that was deployed to Iraq, has said that her skepticism of intervention was rooted in her experience from serving in a war that she saw as unnecessary and costly.

From Salon

McDonald's said in a statement that it "identified an alternate supplier" for about 900 restaurants that had "temporarily stopped serving Quarter Pounder burgers with slivered onions".

From BBC

Related Words

• dollop
• plate