From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdeservede‧serve /dɪˈzɜːv $ -ɜːrv/ ●●● S3 W3 verb [transitive] 1 DESERVEto have earned something by good or bad actions or behaviour What have I done to deserve this?deserve to do something We didn’t deserve to win.richly/fully/thoroughly etc deserve something the success he so richly deserves I’m sorry for the kids. They deserve better (=deserve to be treated in a better way).deserve a rest/break/holiday etc I think we deserve a rest after all that hard work. Ledley deserves a place in the team. Paula deserves a special mention for all the help she has given us. I would never hit anyone, even if they deserved it. What has he done to deserve this punishment?deserve all/everything you get (=deserve any bad things that happen to you) He deserves all he gets for being so dishonest. People who are sent to prison for drunk-driving get what they deserve.GRAMMAR: Using the progressiveDeserve is not used in the progressive. You say: She deserves a prize. ✗Don’t say: She is deserving a prize.2 → deserve consideration/attention etc3 → somebody deserves a medalCOLLOCATIONSnounsdeserve a rest/break/holiday etcOnce the students have done their exams they deserve a break.deserve a chanceEverybody deserves a second chance.deserve respectOur police officers deserve our respect.deserve credit/praiseThe team played really well and they deserve credit for it.deserve supportThis is a splendid proposal which deserves our support.deserve recognition (=public respect and thanks)The teaching profession deserves more recognition.deserve better (also deserve a better deal) (=deserve to be treated better or to be in a better situation)They treated him badly at work and I thought he deserved better.deserve a (special) mention (=used especially in speeches to mention someone's good work or actions)Richard deserves a special mention for all his hard work on this project.deserve a placeYou need top grades to deserve a place at the best universities.deserve punishmentIf you commit a crime, you have deserved punishment.adverbsthoroughly/fully deserve somethingHe didn't work so he thoroughly deserved his poor marks.richly deserve something (=greatly deserve something good that happens)Her success was richly deserved.well deservedThe restaurant has a well deserved reputation for excellent fish.phrasesget what you deserve (=experience something bad after you have behaved badly)I like films where the bad guys get what they deserve.deserve all/everything you get (=deserve any bad things that happen to you)She's behaved really stupidly and she deserves all she gets. → See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
deserve• He was a bully, and in the end he got what he deserved.• The fourteen-year-old Gertrude was appointed as the abbess and proved herself deserving of the title.• Shrubs and trees deserve a look after a heavy snow.• She feels she deserves an apology after all the cruel things you said about her.• Why did ministers fail to inform the public of these dangers? The people of Britain deserve answers.• "You really weren't very nice to her." "Well, she deserved it!"• But Polikar and everyone else deserve more in terms of night-time entertainment than a few evenings every year catching crickets.• You deserve more than a medal.• They at least deserve our patience and understanding.• What had he done to deserve this punishment?• Yggdrasil composed an exquisite sonnet that deserved to live for centuries, but kept it to itself.• Anyone who drives like that deserves to lose their licence.deserve to do something• And I think we deserve to.• Its two major parties scarcely deserve to be called political.• This raises questions of fairness which deserve to be debated publicly.• I thought we deserved to be in.• Work hard but play hard, too-you deserve to celebrate.• If he did that, Walenski deserves to get gone.• They deserved to smile at Rice.• Both sides could make out a case that they deserved to win and should have been awarded penalties.• It was the sort of game both teams deserved to win.Origin deserve (1200-1300) Old French Latin deservire “to serve very keenly”, from servire “to serve” 