serve
SURV
/sɜːrv/
The act of starting a point by hitting the ball or shuttlecock into the opponent's court.
In racket sports, the serve is the only moment where the player has total control over the ball's placement and speed without interference.
The story behind the word. The word 'serve' comes from the Latin 'servire,' meaning to be a servant. Historically, in the early days of tennis, a servant would actually hit the ball into play for the royal players, 'serving' them the start of the game.
Word relationships
- service: 'Service' is often used as a more formal noun for the act or the turn to serve.
- return: The return is the shot made in response to the serve.
Commonly confused with
- delivery: 'Delivery' is more common in cricket or baseball than in racket sports.
Word family
- server (noun): The person who starts the point.
- serviceable (adjective): Adequate or functional, though not necessarily excellent.
Collocations
- first serve
- break serve
- ace serve
- serve and volley
Idioms & expressions
- the ball is in your court
Example sentences
- "The serve is the only shot in tennis you have total control over." Tennis strategy
- "He struggled to find his rhythm, failing to land a single first serve in the opening game." Match report
Memory hook
Think of a waiter 'serving' a ball on a platter to the opponent. The starter's service.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'service' in a restaurant context, though they share an origin.
Fun facts
- In professional tennis, the fastest serve ever recorded was by Sam Groth at 163.7 mph (263.4 km/h).
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