# serving

Pronunciation: say "SUR-ving" US /ˈsɝvɪŋ/, UK /ˈsɜːvɪŋ/

## Verb

1. Present participle and gerund of serve. — present participle and gerund of serve
   - Simple: Present participle and gerund of serve. Use it after is or was (she is serving), or to name the action.
   - _He was serving on the city council when the new rules took effect._
   - _They are serving a three-course meal at the restaurant tonight._

## Noun

2. The portion of food or drink regarded as right for one person at a single sitting, especially at a meal.
   - Simple: The amount of food or drink meant for one person at one time.
   - _A single serving of pasta is smaller than most people expect._
   - _The nutrition label lists the calories in two servings rather than one._
3. The giving out of food and drink to people, especially at a meal, or one occasion or sitting at which this is done.
   - Simple: The act of giving food or drink to people, or one time when this is done.
   - _The serving of the main course was delayed by a backup in the kitchen._
   - _Volunteers took charge of the serving so the hosts could sit down and eat with their guests._
4. A fraction or share of a larger whole.
   - Simple: A part or share of something larger.
   - _The new season delivers a generous serving of mystery, with a few laughs mixed in along the way._
   - _Each episode gives viewers only a small serving of the larger story, so the plot unfolds slowly over the year._

## Other meanings

- (noun) A protective layer of yarn, tape, or small cord wound around the outside of a rope or an electrical cable.

## Origin

Formed from the verb "serve" combined with the suffix "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/serving (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).