Nearby Words

deserving

[dih-zur-ving] Origin

de·serv·ing

[dih-zur-ving]
adjective
1.
qualified for or having a claim to reward, assistance, etc., because of one's actions, qualities, or situation: the deserving poor; a deserving applicant.
2.
meriting; worthy: a criminal deserving of a lifetime sentence.

Origin:
1570–80; deserve + -ing2

de·serv·ing·ly, adverb
de·serv·ing·ness, noun
self-de·serv·ing, adjective
un·de·serv·ing, adjective
un·de·serv·ing·ly, adverb
EXPAND
un·de·serv·ing·ness, noun
COLLAPSE

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Deserving is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

de·serve

[dih-zurv] verb, -served, -serv·ing.
verb (used with object)
1.
to merit, be qualified for, or have a claim to (reward, assistance, punishment, etc.) because of actions, qualities, or situation: to deserve exile; to deserve charity; a theory that deserves consideration.
verb (used without object)
2.
to be worthy of, qualified for, or have a claim to reward, punishment, recompense, etc.: to reward him as he deserves; an idea deserving of study.

Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English deserven < Anglo-French, Old French deservir, Latin dēservīre to devote oneself to the service of, equivalent to dē- de- + servīre to serve

de·serv·er, noun
pre·de·serve, verb (used with object), -served, -serv·ing.


1. rate, warrant, justify.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
deserving (dɪˈzɜːvɪŋ)
 
adj (often postpositive and foll by of)
1.  worthy, esp of praise or reward
 
n
2.  rare a merit or demerit; desert
 
de'servingly
 
adv
 
de'servingness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

deserve
late 13c., from O.Fr. deservir, from L. deservire "serve well," from de- "completely" + servire "to serve." From "be entitled to because of good service" (s sense found in L.L.), meaning generalized c.1300 to "be worthy of."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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