Definitions for deserve
dɪˈzɜrvde·serve

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:3.0 / 2 votes

1. deserve, meritverb

   be worthy or deserving

   "You deserve a promotion after all the hard work you have done"

WiktionaryRate this definition:2.5 / 2 votes

1. deserveverb

   To be entitled to, as a result of past actions; to be worthy to have.

2. deserveverb

   To earn, win.

3. deserveverb

   To reward, to give in return for service.

4. Etymology: From deservir, from deservire, from de- + servire.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. To DESERVEverb

   Etymology: deservir, French.

   1. To be worthy of either good or ill.

   Those they honoured, as having power to work or cease, as men deserved of them. Richard Hooker, b. i.

   Some of us love you well; and ev’n those some
   Envy your great deservings, and good name. William Shakespeare, Hen. IV.

   All friends shall taste
   The wages of their virtue, and all foes
   The cup of their deservings. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

   What he deserves of you and me I know. William Shakespeare, H. VIII.

   Yet well, if here would end
   The misery: I deserv’d it, and would bear
   My own deservings. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. x. l. 727.

   Courts are the places where best manners flourish,
   Where the deserving ought to rise. Thomas Otway, Orphan.

   A mother cannot give him death; though he
   Deserves it, he deserves it not from me. John Dryden, Ovid.

   Since my Orazia’s death I have not seen
   A beauty so deserving to be queen,

   He had been a person of great deservings from the republick, was an admirable speaker, and very popular. Jonathan Swift.

   2. To be worthy of reward.

   According to the rule of natural justice one man may merit and deserve of another. Robert South, Sermons.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. deserve

   Desert () in philosophy is the condition of being deserving of something, whether good or bad. It is sometimes called moral desert to clarify the intended usage and distinguish it from the dry desert biome. It is a concept often associated with justice: that good deeds should be rewarded and evil deeds punished.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. deserve

   Deserve generally refers to being worthy or entitled to something based on one's actions, qualities, or circumstances. It implies that an individual has earned or is deserving of a particular treatment, reward, or outcome.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Deserveverb

   to earn by service; to be worthy of (something due, either good or evil); to merit; to be entitled to; as, the laborer deserves his wages; a work of value deserves praise

2. Deserveverb

   to serve; to treat; to benefit

3. Deserveverb

   to be worthy of recompense; -- usually with ill or with well

4. Etymology: [OF. deservir, desservir, to merit, L. deservire to serve zealously, be devoted to; de- + servire to serve. See Serve.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:3.5 / 2 votes

1. Deserve

   de-zėrv′, v.t. to earn by service: to merit.—v.i. to be worthy of reward.—adj. Deserv′ing, worthy.—n. desert.—advs. Deserv′ingly, Deserv′edly, according to desert: justly. [Fr.,—L. deservīre—de, inten., servīre, to serve.]

Matched Categories

1. • Be

British National Corpus

1. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'deserve' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4748

2. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'deserve' in Verbs Frequency: #557

Anagrams for deserve »

1. severed

How to pronounce deserve?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say deserve in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of deserve in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of deserve in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of deserve in a Sentence

1. Robert Frost:

   You don't have to deserve your mother's love. You have to deserve your father's.

2. Eric Adams:

   Our cities are being undermined. And we do n’t deserve this. Migrants do n’t deserve this. And people who live in the cities do n’t deserve this, we expect more from our national leaders to address this issue in a real way.

3. Kendall Smith:

   My brothers don’t deserve this, my sister don’t deserve this, I don’t deserve this, she didn’t deserve that, i’m terribly angry about it. I don’t understand why anyone would want to do that to my mom… She always had a good heart, wanted the best for everybody.

4. Keinon Carter:

   I believe victims of the Pulse shooting deserve better, we deserve better security protection than what was provided. We deserve to be rescued sooner by law enforcement officers who made strategic decisions to wait.

5. William Swor:

   I'm sorry most of all that I let William Swor down. William Swor deserve better. William Swor deserve accountability. William Swor deserve to know that the buck stops here with me.

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