Word family noun servant serve server service disservice the services serving servery servicing servility servitude adjective serviceable servile serving verb serve service
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishserviceser‧vice1 /ˈsɜːvɪs $ ˈsɜːr-/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 official system/organization [countable]SSSERVICES the official system for providing something, especially something that everyone in a country needs to have, or the official organization that provides it the health service the postal service the police service the prison service Workers in the emergency services (=the police, hospital, and the fire service) are forbidden from striking. There has been a decline in public services in recent years. the essential services (=the police, hospitals, fire service, and organizations that provide basic things such as water, gas, or electricity) → civil service, Diplomatic Service, fire service, Internal Revenue Service, National Health Service, the, secret service, security service2 something provided by a company [countable] a particular type of help or work that is provided by a business to customers, but not one that involves producing goods A wide range of financial services are available.provide/offer a service Datapost offers a delivery service to over 160 countries. Our aim is to provide the best service at the lowest price. the supply of goods and services → service industry3 in a shop/restaurant/bar [uncountable]BBTHELP the help that people who work in a shop, restaurant, bar etc give yougood/bad/slow etc service The service was terrible and so was the food.customer service At our bank, we insist on high standards of customer service. Service is included in your bill (=the charge for paying the people who serve you is included). → room service, self-service, service charge4 work [uncountable] (also services [plural]) the work that someone does for a person or organization, especially over a long period20/30 years etc of service Brian retired after 25 years of service to the company. a long service award a career in public service (=work done for the public or the government)services to somebody/something (=all the good work you have done for someone or something) He received an award for services to sport.5 → services6 → jury/military/community etc service7 being used [uncountable] used to talk about whether a piece of equipment, a vehicle etc is available to be used, or how long it can be usedin service (=being used or available to be used) These trains have been in service for many years.out of service (=not being used or not available to be used) The escalator is out of service.give good/excellent etc service (=work well and last a long time) Steel tools give good service for years.8 religious ceremony [countable]RRPRAY a formal religious ceremony, especially in churchhold/conduct a service The service was held in the chapel.marriage/funeral/christening etc service a memorial service for the disaster victims9 → the services10 help [singular, uncountable] formalHELP help that you give to someonebe at somebody’s service (=be available to help someone, or for someone to use) My secretary is at your service.be of service (to somebody) (=help someone) Can I be of any service?do somebody a service (=do something that will help someone) He did her a service by telling her the truth.11 checks on a car/machine [countable]DREPAIR an examination and repair of a machine or car to keep it working properly I’m getting the bus home – my car’s in for a service. 12 tennis/ball game [countable]DS an act of hitting a ball through the air in order to start a game, especially in tennis It’s your service.13 → services14 plates/cups etcDFU [countable] a set of plates, bowls, cups etc that match each other15 bus/train/plane etc [countable usually singular] British EnglishTT a regular journey made by a bus, train, boat etc to a particular place at a particular time the 8:15 service to Cambridge16 → be in service/go into service17 legal document [uncountable] formal when someone is given a legal document telling them that they must do something or that something is going to happen the service of a summons18 → for services rendered → active service, lip service, → press somebody/something into service at press2(13)Examples from the Corpus
service• Nevertheless, the share of national income going to government spending on goods and services is now falling.• We recommend an annual service for all central heating boilers.• A private car service is available from the airport.• the U.S. customs service• Electrical service was cut off from up to five hours in some parts of the country yesterday.• The other sources of free Web space are the many providers of free email services.• There were usually most people at the evening service.• My car's due for service - I'll book it into a garage next week.• the foreign service• We knew the should would never survive if we didn't provide a good service from the minute we opened the doors.• We got incredibly good service at that French restaurant.• Though it offers more sites and possibilities than any on-line service, it can be confusing, and the quality uneven.• I just subscribed to a new e-mail service.• The priest who performed the marriage service is a friend of the family.• Any major problems with the car should be picked up at the 5,000 mile service.• It's growing out of sync with the rest of service provision and service development, and this has all sorts of spin-offs.• I'm looking for information on family planning services.• It is important to note that we have greatly increased the number of professionals providing services on a wide range of fronts.• Social services departments were strongly criticized in the 1980s for not taking more effective action to protect children at risk.• I thought the service in the pizza place was very good.• We always go to the service on Sunday morning.• The service starts at 11.00 a.m.• The business, if properly regulated, performs a useful service for lottery winners.the emergency services• By dialling 999, the emergency services can be called.• Holiday homes were reduced to firewood, and the emergency services could only reach the site by helicopter.• An emergency trailer from the nearest available location can be taken to the incident to assist the emergency services.• Equally they were as well placed as anyone to know about the extent of the delays by the emergency services.• It was staged to give the emergency services practice.• Under the scheme, only vehicles carrying invalids or supporting the emergency services would be allowed into the centre.financial services• The plan aimed to upgrade existing industries and to attract a number of new ones, such as financial services.• The refuge has been supported for the past 18 years by the Swindon-based financial services group Allied Dunbar.• Meanwhile, the wave of consolidation in financial services has reduced the pool of big advertisers on news and finance shows.• The internet has revolutionised this area, as it has many other aspects of financial services.• The mixing together of financial services has increased the scope for trading on the basis of inside information.• Fidelity joins a long list of companies offering or planning to offer financial services on the Web.• Some establishments offer estate planning and other financial services.• The securities firm, after deregulation of the financial services industry, was moving from a product to a service focus.• Similarly, pressures from certain sectors within the financial services industry itself have pushed towards deregulation. good/bad/slow etc service• Our plans for the railways are designed to bring better services for all passengers as rapidly as possible.• We expect it to produce even better services in the future.• Yet an alliance between research and practice is essential to the development of good services.• Fair competition offers the best guarantee of good services, low prices and choice.• They were beating us because they tried harder and expected more-better quality, better service, and faster innovation.• The Charter's commitment to modern, open services will help them to win the respect that good service deserves.• Refuse collection was seen as the best service, pleasing 85%.• CompuServe is probably the best service for gardening questions.public service• Only 13 percent of top federal employees said they would recommend a career in public service.• Jordan had a long and distinguished career in public service.• Any growth in public services is a manifestation of an intrinsically evil trend.• It is the second time in a week the Government has attacked one of Britain's key public services.• I've always been a strong advocate of public service broadcasting, such an important element in this influential means of communication.• Subsequently, with the cuts in public expenditure, there has been a decline in the overall growth of public service jobs.• We are delivering on our commitment to turn round Britain's public services.• A school cleaner pointed out that there were many more low-paid women than men among the public service workers.• In June 1990, legislation had been passed restricting the right to strike in the public services.out of service• Up to 40 cars will be out of service at any time, with the first to be completed within 14 months.• For two weeks at a time, each lunar power station is out of service.• Six days later, after unsuccessful attempts to re-establish contact, the company declared it permanently out of service. hold/conduct a service• The church needed the permit to continue holding services in the building, which is zoned for business uses.• After a simple breakfast, Father Peter conducted a service in the Chapel of Penitence.• The ceremony is much shorter than a religious one so many people like to hold a service of blessing afterwards.• If the minister of religion is required to conduct a service, the family or funeral director arrange this.• Three days later we held a service on the beach at Sagaponack near the eastern end of Long Island.be at somebody’s service• Alfred Descoyne at your service, sir!• You could tell by who was at his memorial service, from the publishing executive to the receptionist from 10 years ago.• His question is old-fashioned, rational and optimistic in its premise that technology should be at the service of enlightenment.• His talents are at the service of the text.serviceservice2 ●●○ verb [transitive] 1 DREPAIRif someone services a machine or vehicle, they examine it and do what is needed to keep it working well The plumber came to service the boiler.have something serviced I'm having the car serviced next week.Grammar Service is often used in the passive in this meaning. → servicing► see thesaurus at repair2 PROVIDESERVICESto provide people with something they need or want schools that service local communities3 → service a debt/loan→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
service• Dunn's firm services 72 arts organizations across the nation.• When was the plane last serviced?• You should have your car serviced every six months.• I'm having the car serviced next week.• All our machinery is serviced regularly.• The weakness of the economy still makes it harder for companies to service their debt.• Especially because they usually split the take with the syndicates who sell and service their output.From Longman Business Dictionaryserviceser‧vice1 /ˈsɜːvəsˈsɜːr-/ noun1[countable usually plural]COMMERCE business that involves selling help and advice, or delivering goods etc for customers, rather than manufacturing goodsHe charged a £600,000 fee for consulting services.2[countable] the regular work done by a public or other large national organization, or the organization itselfFor many years, the statepostal service fell outside the monopoly rules.3[countable]COMMERCETRAVEL a system of regular flights etc between two placesThe airline has opened a trans-Atlantic service between Toronto and Singapore.a daily air service between London and Paris4[countable] an organization or department that provides advice and help, for example on legal or personal problemsAcounselling service can provide employees with appropriate support.5[uncountable]COMMERCE the help given to customers by people working in a shop, restaurant etcOur service standards are monitored to ensure they remain at a consistently high level.6[uncountable]HUMAN RESOURCES the work an employee does for a company or organizationThere are automatic pay increases based on length of service. → see also business reply service, contract of service, debt serviceserviceservice2 adjective [only before a noun] service roads, stairs, lifts etc are for the use of people working in a place or delivering goods to it, rather than the general publicA new service road and tanker turning area is proposed for the site.serviceservice3 verb [transitive]1FINANCE to pay a debt, loan etcCardholders are having troubleservicing their debtsto the lender.2FINANCE if a financial institution services loans, debts etc, it manages them for another company, for example by collecting payments, calculating interest etcWe currently service loans for more than 15 million customers nationwide.3to examine a machine or piece of equipment and to mend it if necessaryCompaq relies heavily on independent dealers to sell and service its computers.4COMMERCE to provide a particular service, such as help, advice, transport etcOur customers in Mexico are serviced through a network of independent insurance firms. —servicing noun [uncountable]We plan to bring the equipment back to the U.S. for servicing.Income frommortgage servicing rose sharply.The company has been increasing itsloan servicing portfolio.→ See Verb tableOrigin service1 (1100-1200) Old French Latin servitium “condition of being a slave”, from servus; → SERVE1 