serving — English Dictionary

Noun

1. The act or process of serving.

   Usage

   • gerund
   • Uncountable

2. An instance of that act or process.

   Usage

   • Countable

3. The quantity of food or drink intended for one person in a single sitting; especially in relation to a meal.

   Usage

   • Countable

   Synonyms

   helping

4. A fraction or share.

   Usage

   • broadly
   • Countable

   Examples

   Very few Latino rock and roll bands, in the days before Santana, managed to successfully steal even a slight serving of the nation's auditory attention.

5. A layer added to the outside of an electrical cable to protect it.

   Usage

   • Countable

Noun

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

   Synonyms

   helpingportion

   Broader terms

   small indefinite quantitysmall indefinite amount

   Examples

   the helpings were all small

   his portion was larger than hers

   More examples (1)

   there's enough for two servings each

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

   Synonyms

   serviceservice of process

   Broader terms

   deliverybringing

   Examples

   he accepted service of the subpoena