service
noun OPAL W
/ˈsɜːvɪs/
/ˈsɜːrvɪs/
Idioms - [countable] a system that provides something that the public needs, organized by the government or a private company
- the ambulance/bus/postal service
- The government aims to improve public services, especially education.
- Essential services (= the supply of water, gas, electricity) will be maintained.
- Councillors have called for better provision of services for young people.
- The charity provides a vital service to the local community.
Extra Examples- Find out what services are available in your area.
- paramedics who provide a vital service to the public
- The new system will enable people to access the service more easily.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- efficient
- excellent
- good
- …
- offer (somebody)
- provide (somebody with)
- operate
- …
- improve
- deteriorate
- provider
- business
- company
- …
- service for
- service to
- goods and services
- products and services
- (also Service)[countable] an organization or a company that provides something for the public or does something for the government
- the prison service
- the BBC World Service
- the Foreign Service
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- efficient
- excellent
- good
- …
- offer (somebody)
- provide (somebody with)
- operate
- …
- improve
- deteriorate
- provider
- business
- company
- …
- service for
- service to
- goods and services
- products and services
- [countable, uncountable] a business whose work involves doing something for customers but not producing goods; the work that such a business does
- financial services
- the development of new goods and services
- Smith's Catering Services (= a company) offers the best value.
- We guarantee (an) excellent service.
- We aim to provide a high-quality service.
- They offer an after-care service.
- Training the staff required to deliver the service remains a challenge.
- We are working hard to improve the services that we provide.
- The number of people using the service has fallen.
- I am not willing to pay for a service I am not receiving.
- We offer clients a broad range of services.
- the service sector (= the part of the economy involved in this type of business)
- a service industry
Extra ExamplesTopics Businessa2- The company provides products and services to customers in 145 countries.
- We offer a full management service for our international clients.
- The centre delivers online support services.
- We need to expand this valuable service to other cities.
- We offer a comprehensive service to home buyers.
- We offer excellent after-sales service on all our goods.
- an online dating service
- wireless internet services
- The California-based computer services company announced their quarterly results yesterday.
- I typed my password into my instant messaging service.
- The studio launches its own digital music download service next month.
- Demand for bodyguard services is increasing.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- efficient
- excellent
- good
- …
- offer (somebody)
- provide (somebody with)
- operate
- …
- improve
- deteriorate
- provider
- business
- company
- …
- service for
- service to
- goods and services
- products and services
- [uncountable] the serving of customers in hotels, restaurants, and shops
- The food was good but the service was very slow.
- I complained about the poor service.
- 10% will be added to your bill for service.
Collocations RestaurantsRestaurantsEating outsee also customer service, room service, self-serviceTopics Cooking and eatingb1, Shoppingb1- eat (lunch/dinner)/dine/meet at/in a restaurant
- go (out)/take somebody (out) for lunch/dinner/a meal
- have a meal with somebody
- make/have a reservation (in/under the name of Yamada)
- reserve/ (especially British English) book a table for six
- ask for/request a table for two/a table by the window
- wait to be seated
- show somebody to their table
- sit in the corner/by the window/at the bar/at the counter
- hand somebody/give somebody the menu/wine list
- open/read/study/peruse the menu
- the restaurant has a three-course set menu/a children’s menu/an extensive wine list
- taste/sample/try the wine
- the waiter takes your order
- order/choose/have the soup of the day/one of the specials/the house (British English) speciality/(especially North American English) specialty
- serve/finish the first course/the starter/the main course/dessert/coffee
- complain about the food/the service/your meal
- enjoy your meal
- pay/ask for (especially British English) the bill/(North American English) the check
- pay for/treat somebody to dinner/lunch/the meal
- service is (not) included
- give somebody/leave (somebody) a tip
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- efficient
- excellent
- first-class
- …
- deliver something (to somebody)
- give (somebody)
- offer (somebody)
- …
- job
- worker
- [uncountable] the work that somebody does for an organization, etc., especially when it continues for a long time or is admired very much
- service with something She has just celebrated 25 years' service with the company.
- service to something He has retired after 30 years of dedicated service to the local community.
- She was presented with a long-service award after 40 years with the firm.
- The employees have good conditions of service.
- After retiring, she became involved in voluntary service in the local community.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- meritorious
- outstanding
- faithful
- …
- do
- see
- begin
- …
- member
- personnel
- record
- …
- service to
- conditions of service
- in the service of your country
- in the service of God
- …
- [countable, usually plural, uncountable] the army, the navy and the air force; the work done by people in them
- Most of the boys went straight into the services.
- He saw service in North Africa.
- After service in the US Army, he began his legal career.
- the country's military intelligence services
- a service family
Culture the armed forcesthe armed forcesThe British armed forces, sometimes called the services, consist of the Army, the Royal Navy (RN), and the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Queen or King is Commander-in-Chief of all three services, but responsibility for their management lies with the Ministry of Defence (MOD), which is headed by the Secretary of State for Defence. The Army is the largest of the three services and the Royal Navy the smallest. The Navy is the service with the longest history and is sometimes known as the Senior Service. The Joint Rapid Reaction Force includes all three services. The regular forces are supported when necessary by the Regular Reserve, who are former members of the regular forces, and the Volunteer Reserve Forces, people who train in their free time with the Army Reserve, the Royal Air Force Reserves, or the Royal Naval Reserve. In the US the President is Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and the Secretary of Defense is responsible for their management. The Joint Chiefs of Staff are the military leaders of the four services, the Army, Navy, Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, which are supported when necessary by the reserve forces, the US Army Reserve, the National Guard and the Navy Reserve. The Army is the service with the longest history. Four of its leaders became President: George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Ulysses S Grant and Dwight D Eisenhower.Topics War and conflictb2Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- armed
- go into
- join
- [uncountable] the use that you can get from a vehicle or machine; the state of being used
- That computer gave us very good service.
- in service This bus is not in service.
- out of service The ship will be taken out of service within two years.
Extra Examples- The ship has been taken out of service for extensive cleaning.
- The aircraft entered service with the Swedish Air Force in 1997.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- meritorious
- outstanding
- faithful
- …
- do
- see
- begin
- …
- member
- personnel
- record
- …
- service to
- conditions of service
- in the service of your country
- in the service of God
- …
- [countable, uncountable] an examination of a vehicle or machine followed by any work that is necessary to keep it operating well
- a service engineer
- (British English) I had taken the car in for a service.
- (North American English) I had taken the car in for service.
- [usually plural] (formal) the particular skills or help that a person is able to offer
- You need the services of a good lawyer.
- service as somebody/something He offered his services as a driver.
Extra Examples- I offered my services as a babysitter for the evening.
- He was given an award for his services to the disabled.
- to seek the services of an attorney
- a plastic surgeon advertising his services on the internet
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- great
- invaluable
- valuable
- …
- be of
- do somebody
- perform
- …
- charge
- fee
- at your service
- services of
- service to
- …
- [countable] a religious ceremony
- a funeral/memorial service
- A memorial service will be held at St James's Church on Sunday.
- More than 100 people attended the service.
- to go to morning/evening service
Collocations ReligionReligionBeing religious- believe in God/Christ/Allah/free will/predestination/heaven and hell/an afterlife/reincarnation
- be/become a believer/an atheist/an agnostic/a Christian/Muslim/Hindu/Buddhist, etc.
- convert to/practise a religion/Buddhism/Catholicism/Christianity/Islam/Judaism, etc.
- go to church/(North American English) temple (= the synagogue)
- go to the local church/mosque/synagogue/gurdwara
- belong to a church/a religious community
- join/enter the church/a convent/a monastery/a religious sect/the clergy/the priesthood
- praise/worship/obey/serve/glorify God
- attend/hold/conduct/lead a service
- perform a ceremony/a rite/a ritual/a baptism/the Hajj/a mitzvah
- carry out/perform a sacred/burial/funeral/fertility/purification rite
- go on/make a pilgrimage
- celebrate Christmas/Easter/Eid/Ramadan/Hanukkah/Passover/Diwali
- observe/break the Sabbath/a fast/Ramadan
- deliver/preach/hear a sermon
- lead/address the congregation
- say/recite a prayer/blessing
- preach/proclaim/spread the word of God/the Gospel/the message of Islam
- study/follow the dharma/the teachings of Buddha
- read/study/understand/interpret scripture/the Bible/the Koran/the gospel/the Torah
- be based on/derive from divine revelation
- commit/consider something heresy/sacrilege
- seek/find/gain enlightenment/wisdom
- strengthen/lose your faith
- keep/practise/practice/abandon the faith
- save/purify/lose your soul
- obey/follow/keep/break/violate a commandment/Islamic law/Jewish law
- be/accept/do God’s will
- receive/experience divine grace
- achieve/attain enlightenment/salvation/nirvana
- undergo a conversion/rebirth/reincarnation
- hear/answer a prayer
- commit/confess/forgive a sin
- do/perform penance
Extra ExamplesTopics Religion and festivalsb2- He always attends morning service.
- a memorial service for people killed in the attack
- A special service of praise and thanksgiving was held in the cathedral.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- church
- religious
- funeral
- …
- attend
- go to
- hold
- …
- service for
- [countable, usually singular] a bus, train, etc. that goes regularly to a particular place at a particular time
- the cancellation of the 10.15 service to Glasgow
Extra ExamplesTopics Transport by bus and trainb2- Bus companies are planning to lay on extra services.
- The company offers direct, fast and frequent services between large towns and cities.
- There is a limited service on these bus routes.
- We will be operating a reduced service while engineering work takes place.
- changes to scheduled services
- services from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
- A free bus service to and from the venue is available.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- efficient
- good
- reliable
- …
- lay on
- offer (somebody)
- provide (somebody with)
- …
- in service
- out of service
- service between
- …
- services[singular + singular or plural verb] (British English) a place next to a motorway where you can stop for petrol, a meal, the toilets, etc.
- motorway services
- It's five miles to the next services.
- [singular] an act of hitting the ball in order to start playing; the way that you hit it synonym serve
- It's your service (= your turn to start playing).
- Her service has improved.
- [countable] a complete set of plates, dishes, etc. that match each other
- a tea service (= cups, saucers, a teapot and plates, for serving tea)
- [uncountable] (old-fashioned) the state or position of being a servant
- to be in/go into service (= to be/become a servant)
- a job in domestic service
- [uncountable] (law) the formal giving of an official document, etc. to somebody
- the service of a demand for payment
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- great
- invaluable
- valuable
- …
- be of
- do somebody
- perform
- …
- charge
- fee
- at your service
- services of
- service to
- …
see also lip service
providing something
in hotel/shop/restaurant
work for organization
army, etc.
of vehicle/machine
skills/help
religious ceremony
bus/train
on motorway
in tennis
set of plates, etc.
being servant
of official document
Word OriginOld English (denoting religious devotion or a form of public worship), from Old French servise or Latin servitium ‘slavery’, from servus ‘slave’. The early sense of the verb (mid 19th cent.) was ‘be of service to, provide with a service’.
Idioms
at the service of somebody/something | at somebody’s service
- completely available for somebody to use or to help somebody
- Healthcare must be at the service of all who need it.
- (formal or humorous) If you need anything, I am at your service.
- The cabin staff are at your service throughout the flight.
be of service (to somebody)
- (formal) to be useful or helpful
- Can I be of service to anyone?
do somebody a/no service
- (formal) to do something that is helpful/not helpful to somebody
- She was doing herself no service by remaining silent.
- You have done us a great service.
press somebody/something into service
- to use somebody/something for a purpose that they were not trained or intended for because there is nobody or nothing else available
- Every type of boat was pressed into service to rescue passengers from the sinking ferry.