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serve up

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serve something up

to distribute or deliver food for people to eat. The cook served the stew up and then passed around the bread. Can you serve up the food now?

See also: serve, up

serve up something

also serve something up

to offer something The TV miniseries will be serving up five hour-long programs. Hitchcock served up a pitch that Perez hit over the fence for a home run. Filmgoers demand realism, and Lee serves it up without flash or tricks in his latest movie.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of serve up (to provide food or drink)

See also: serve, up

serve up

1. Dish out food, as in Next they served up some oysters. [First half of 1400s]

2. Provide, as in He served up joke after joke, delighting his audience. [First half of 1600s] also see hand to on a silver platter.

See also: serve, up

serve up

v.

1. To provide or offer some meal: Whenever they have guests, they always serve up a feast. That restaurant makes the best barbecue, and they serve it up every day.

2. To provide or offer some sensual or emotional experience: The restaurant serves up a night to remember. A comedian serves laughs up every Wednesday night at the bar.

3. To put some prepared food into a dish to be eaten: I gathered the plates and served up the potatoes. If the soup is ready, go ahead and serve it up.

4. Sports To throw or kick some ball into the air in such a way that it is easily hit or intercepted: The soccer player served up a ball to her teammate, who headed it in for a goal. The pitcher served a ball up, and it was hit for a home run.

See also: serve, up