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Play vs Serve - What's the difference?

play | serve |

As verbs the difference between play and serve

is that play is (lb) to act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment while serve is to provide a service .

As nouns the difference between play and serve

is that play is activity for amusement only, especially among the young while serve is (sports) an act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games.

play

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (lb) To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.
  • :
  • *2001 , Annabelle Sabloff, Reordering the Natural World , Univ. of Toronto Press, p.83:
  • *:A youngstergo on vacation, play in the same way that he did with his friends, and so on.
  • *2003 , Anne-Nelly Perret-Clermont et al. (eds.), Joining Society: Social Interaction and Learning in Adolescence and Youth , Cambridge Univ. Press, p.52:
  • *:We had to play for an hour, so that meant that we didn't have time to play and joke around.
  • (lb) To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
  • :
  • #(lb) To compete against, in a game.
  • #*{{quote-news, year=2011, date=November 12, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= International friendly: England 1-0 Spain , passage=England will not be catapulted among the favourites for Euro 2012 as a result of this win, but no victory against Spain is earned easily and it is right they take great heart from their efforts as they now prepare to play Sweden at Wembley on Tuesday.}}
  • (label) To take part in amorous activity; to make love, fornicate; to have sex.
  • *1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , II.iv:
  • *:Her proper face / I not descerned in that darkesome shade, / But weend it was my loue, with whom he playd .
  • (lb) To act as the indicated role, especially in a performance.
  • :
  • *{{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Katrina G. Claw
  • , title= Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm , volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.}}
  • To produce music or theatre.
  • # To produce music.
  • #*2007 , Dan Erlewine, Guitar Player Repair Guide (ISBN 0879309210), page 220:
  • #*:If your guitar plays well on fretted strings but annoys you on the open ones, the nut's probably worn out.
  • # To produce music using a musical instrument.
  • #:
  • # To produce music (or a specified song or musical style) using (a specified musical instrument).
  • #:
  • # To use a device to watch or listen to the indicated recording.
  • #:
  • # to be shown.
  • #:
  • # To perform in or at; to give performances in or at.
  • #*2008 , My Life: From Normandy to Hockeytown (ISBN 0966412087), p.30:
  • #*:I got a hold of Louis (Satchmo) Armstrong's agent and I explained to him on the phone that, "I know you're playing' London on Wednesday night. Why don't you come and ' play the Arena in Windsor on Saturday night?"
  • #(lb) To act or perform (a play).
  • #:
  • (lb) To behave in a particular way.
  • #(lb) Contrary to fact, to give an appearance of being.
  • #*(rfdate) Sir (Walter Scott) (1771-1832)
  • #*:Thou canst play the rational if thou wilt.
  • #*1985 , Sharon S. Brehm, Intimate Relationships :
  • #*:Playing hard to get is not the same as slamming the door in someone's face.
  • #*1996 , Michael P. Malone, James J Hill: Empire Builder of the Northwest :
  • #*:Now, surveying his final link, he had the nice advantage of being able to play coy with established port cities that desperately wanted his proven railroad.
  • #*2003 , John U. Ogbu, Black American Students in an Affluent Suburb: A Study of Academic Disengagement , p.194:
  • #*:Instead, they played dumb, remained silent, and did their classwork.
  • #(lb) To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless.
  • #*(rfdate) Sir (1628–1699):
  • #*:Men are apt to play with their healths.
  • #(lb) To act; to behave; to practice deception.
  • #*(rfdate) (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616):
  • #*:His mother played false with a smith.
  • #(lb) To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in action; to execute.
  • #:
  • #*(rfdate) (John Milton) (1608-1674):
  • #*:Nature here / Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will / Her virgin fancies.
  • #*
  • #*:The Bat—they called him the Bat.. He'd never been in stir, the bulls had never mugged him, he didn't run with a mob, he played a lone hand, and fenced his stuff so that even the fence couldn't swear he knew his face.
  • (lb) To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate.
  • :
  • *(rfdate) (1671-1743):
  • *:The heart beats, the blood circulates, the lungs play .
  • *
  • *:The colonel and his sponsor made a queer contrast: Greystone [the sponsor] long and stringy, with a face that seemed as if a cold wind was eternally playing on it.
  • (lb) To move gaily; to disport.
  • *(rfdate) (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616):
  • *:even as the waving sedges play with wind
  • *(rfdate) (Joseph Addison) (1672-1719):
  • *:The setting sun / Plays on their shining arms and burnished helmets.
  • *(rfdate) (Alexander Pope) (1688-1744):
  • *:All fame is foreign but of true desert, / Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart.
  • (lb) To put in action or motion.
  • :
  • (lb) To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it.
  • Noun

  • Activity for amusement only, especially among the young.
  • * Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey
  • She was fond of all boys' plays , and greatly preferred cricket
  • (uncountable) Similar activity, in young animals, as they explore their environment and learn new skills.
  • (uncountable, ethology) "Repeated, incompletely functional behavior differing from more serious versions ..., and initiated voluntarily when ... in a low-stress setting."
  • The conduct, or course of a game.
  • (countable) An individual's performance in a sport or game.
  • (countable) (turn-based games ) An action carried out when it is one's turn to play.
  • (countable) A literary composition, intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue.
  • (countable) A theatrical performance featuring actors.
  • We saw a two-act play in the theatre.
  • (countable) A major move by a business.
  • (countable) A geological formation that contains an accumulation or prospect of hydrocarbons or other resources.
  • (uncountable) The extent to which a part of a mechanism can move freely.
  • No wonder the fanbelt is slipping: there’s too much play in it.
    Too much play in a steering wheel may be dangerous.
  • (uncountable, informal) Sexual role-playing.
  • * 1996 , Sabrina P Ramet, Gender reversals and gender cultures
  • The rarity of male domination in fantasy play is readily explained.
  • * 1996 , "toptigger", (on Internet newsgroup alt.personals.spanking.punishment )
  • Palm Springs M seeks sane F 4 safe bdsm play
  • * 2013 , Rachel Kramer Bussel, Best Bondage Erotica 2014
  • There were none of the usual restrictions on public nudity or sexual interaction in the club environment. Still, the night was young, and as he'd made his way to the bar to order Mistress Ramona a gin and tonic, he'd seen little in the way of play .
  • * 2014 , Jiri T. Servant, Facts About Bondage - Bondage Guide For Beginners
  • This type of play allows some people to relax and enjoy being given pleasure without having to think about giving pleasure back at the same time.
  • (countable) A button that, when pressed, causes media to be played.
  • Synonyms

    * (literary composition) drama * See also

    Derived terms

    * airplay * all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy * at play * bloodplay * child's play * close of play * double play * downplay * fair play * fireplay * force play * foreplay * foul play * grandstand play * learn to play * long play * nativity play * mystery play * outdoor play * passion play * pissplay * playact/play-act * play about * play along * play around * play back * play ball * playbill * playboy * play by ear * play by play, play-by-play * play date, playdate * play dead * play doctor * playdough * play down * play dumb * player * play fair * play fast and loose * play fight/play-fight/playfight * play for love * playful * play games * playground * play hardball * play hard to get * play hob with * play hooky * play house * playhouse * play in * play it by ear * play it safe * play lunch * playmate * play money * playoff/play-off/play off * play Old Harry * play on * play one against another * play one's cards right * play on words * playout/play out * playpen * play possum * playroom * playschool * play second fiddle * play silly buggers * play someone like a fiddle * playsuit * play the angles * play the devil * play the field * play the fool * play the hand one is dealt * play the ponies * play the race card * play the same tape * play the white man * plaything * playtime * play to the gallery * play to win * play truant * play up * play upon * playwear * play with * play with fire * play with oneself * playwright * plug-and-play * power play * quad play * radio play * rain stopped play * roleplay/role play/role-play * screen play/screenplay * shadow play * squeeze play * triple play * turnabout is fair play * two can play that game * war play * when the cat's away the mice will play * word play/wordplay

    See also

    (wikipedia play) * outdoor

    Statistics

    * 1000 English basic words ----

    serve

    English

    (wikipedia serve)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (sports) An act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games.
  • Whose serve is it?
  • * 1961 January 13, Marshall Smith, From Waif to a Winner, the Clown of the Courts'', '' , page 99,
  • He had no power serve of his own, no backhand, no volley, no lob, no idea of pace or tactics.
  • * 1996 , Steve Boga, Badminton , page viii,
  • The first serve of the game is from the right half court to the half diagonally opposite.
  • * 2009 , Mihnea Moldoveanu, Roger L. Martin, Diaminds: Decoding the Mental Habits of Successful Thinkers , page 31,
  • Against a serve of the calibre of McEnroe?s, an opponent will try to anticipate the ball?s direction and lean either to the left or to the right, depending on where he feels the server will go.
  • (chiefly, Australia) A portion of food or drink, a serving.
  • * 2004 , Susanna Holt, Fitness Food: The Essential Guide to Eating Well and Performing Better , Murdoch Books Australia, page 23,
  • The night before your event, base your evening meal on high-carbohydrate foods with a small serve of lean protein.
  • * 2007 , Verity Campbell, Turkey , Lonely Planet, page 142,
  • Come here for a cappuccino that could hold its own on Via Veneto in Rome (€2) and a serve of their crunchy fresh cheese börek .
  • * 2008 , Michael E. Cichorski, Maximum Asthma Control: The Revolutionary 3-Step Anti Asthma Program , page 100,
  • Reintroduce protein; add a small serve of salmon, tuna or sardines every second day (tinned variety or fresh).
  • * 2011 , Great Britain Parliament House of Commons Health Committee, Alcohol: First Report of Session 2009-10 , Volume 2, page 189,
  • Smirnoff Appleback was a finished drink, comprising a 50ml serve of Smirnoff, with ice and lemonade or ginger ale and equating to 1.9 units.
  • * 2012 , Lesley Campbell, Alan L. Rubin, Type 2 Diabetes For Dummies , Australian Edition, page 117,
  • One serve of carbohydrates is approximately equal to a slice of bread, a piece of fruit, third of a cup of cooked rice, half a cup of grains, cereals, starchy vegetables or cooked pasta, 200 grams of plain yoghurt, or 300 millilitres of milk.

    Synonyms

    * (act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play) service * (portion of food) See serving

    Antonyms

    * receive

    Verb

    (serv)
  • To provide a service.
  • #(lb) To be a formal servant for (a god or deity); to worship in an official capacity.
  • #*1889 , (Philip Schaff), translating , XIV:
  • #*:And yet this is not the office of a Priest, but of Him whom the Priest should serve .
  • #(lb) To be a servant for; to work for, to be employed by.
  • #*1716 , (Joseph Addison),
  • #*:And, truly, Mrs Abigail, I must needs say, I served' my master contentedly while he was living, but I will ' serve no man living (that is, no man that is not living) without double wages.
  • #*{{quote-book, year=1959, author=(Georgette Heyer), title=(The Unknown Ajax), chapter=1
  • , passage=
  • #*1979 , (Bob Dylan), (Gotta Serve Somebody) :
  • #*:You may be a businessman or some high-degree thief, / They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief / But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
  • #(lb) To wait upon (someone) at table; to set food and drink in front of, to help (someone) to food, meals etc.
  • #*2007 , Larry McMurty, When the Light Goes
  • #*:That night Annie served him grilled halibut and English peas, plus tomatoes, of course, and a salad.
  • #(lb) To be a servant or worker; to perform the duties of a servant or employee; to render service.
  • #*1673 , (John Milton), (On His Blindness) :
  • #*:They also serve who only stand and wait.
  • #(lb) To set down (food or drink) on the table to be eaten; to bring (food, drink) to a person.
  • #*2009 , Dominic A Pacyga, Chicago: A Biography , p.195:
  • #*:About twenty minutes after waiters served the soup, a guest got up and left.
  • *1924 ,
  • *:I mock them all who have served me ill of late and chiefly this cheat of Judah, whose temple we have plundered and whose golden vessels are my wash-pots.
  • *, III.7:
  • *:That gentle Lady, whom I loue and serue .
  • (lb) To be effective.
  • #(lb) To be useful to; to meet the needs of.
  • #*2010 October 12, Lloyd Marcus, (The Guardian)
  • #*:So, while the sycophantic liberal media calls any and all opposition to Obama racist, they give Obama carte blanche to exploit his race whenever it serves his purpose.
  • #(lb) To have a given use or purpose; to function (for) something or to do something.
  • #*2011 January 27, "Borgata bust", (The Economist)
  • #*:The bust also served to remind the public that the Mafia is not harmless.
  • #*{{quote-magazine, year=2012, month=March-April
  • , author=, volume=100, issue=2, page=171 , magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Well-connected Brains , passage=Creating a complete map of the human connectome would therefore be a monumental milestone but not the end of the journey to understanding how our brains work. The achievement will transform neuroscience and serve as the starting point for asking questions we could not otherwise have answered,
  • #(lb) To usefully take the place (as), (instead) of something else.
  • #*
  • #*:Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out.. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.
  • #*2010 April 20, "Not up in the air", (The Economist)
  • #*:Maybe the volcanic eruption will serve as a wake-up call to such companies that they need to modernise their risk management.
  • To deliver a document.
  • #To officially deliver (a legal notice, summons etc.).
  • #*2008 April, Pamela Colloff, The Fire That Time , Texas Monthly; Austin: Emmis Publishing, p.158:
  • #*:On the morning of February 28, 1993, ATF agents gathered at a staging area near Waco and prepared to serve a search warrant on the Branch Davidians' residence.
  • #To make legal service upon (a person named in a writ, summons, etc.)
  • #:
  • *2007 , Rob Antoun, Women's Tennis Tactics , p.2:
  • *:In women's tennis the need to serve more effectively has become greater in recent years because the game is being played more aggressively, and rallies are becoming shorter as a result.
  • (lb) To copulate with (of male animals); to .
  • *1996 , Puck Bonnier et al., Dairy Cattle Husbandry , Agromisa Foundation 2004
  • *:Conception means that a cow is served by a bull and that she becomes pregnant.
  • (lb) To be in military service.
  • *2007 May 16, Peter Walker, (The Guardian)
  • *:Some reports suggested he would quit the army if he was not allowed to serve abroad in a war zone.
  • *1864 , (Horace Greeley), The American Conflict
  • *:John T. Greble, of the 2d regular artillery, was likewise killed instantly by a ball through the head, while serving his gun in the face of the foe.
  • (lb) To work through (a given period of time in prison, a sentence).
  • *2010 December 1, Tania Branigan, (The Guardian)
  • *:The Guangzhou Daily reported that Shi Chunlong, 20, who organised the incident, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Hou Bin, who pulled out of the attack after helping to plan it, will serve 12 years.
  • (lb) To wind spun yarn etc. tightly around (a rope or cable, etc.) so as to protect it from chafing or from the weather.
  • Synonyms

    * (to be a servant to) attend, bestand, wait on

    Derived terms

    * serve somebody right * server * servery * service * serviced * servile

    References

    Anagrams

    * * * 1000 English basic words ----