subserve

 [suhb-surv]  

sub·serve

   [suhb-surv]
verb (used with object), sub·served, sub·serv·ing.
1.
to be useful or instrumental in promoting (a purpose, action, etc.): Light exercise subserves digestion.
2.
Obsolete. to serve as a subordinate.
Origin:
1610–20; < Latin subservīre, equivalent to sub- sub- + servīre to serve
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To subserve

00:10

00:09

00:08

00:07

00:06

00:05

00:04

00:03

00:02

00:01

Subserve is one of our favorite verbs.
So is absquatulate. Does it mean:
to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.
to flee; abscond:
LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Collins
World English Dictionary
subserve (səbˈsɜːv)
 
—vb
1.  to be helpful or useful to
2.  obsolete to be subordinate to
 
[C17: from Latin subservīre to be subject to, from sub- + servīre to serve]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriThesaurus
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT