What does deserve mean?

Definitions for deserve
dɪˈzɜrvde·serve

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word deserve.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. deserve, meritverb

    be worthy or deserving

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

Wiktionary

  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 Dictionary

  1. To DESERVEverb

    Etymology: deservir, French.

    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.

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

Wikipedia

  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.

ChatGPT

  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 Dictionary

  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 Dictionary

  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. deservīrede, inten., servīre, to serve.]

Matched Categories

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

How to pronounce deserve?

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. Mike Huckabee:

    It’s sick. It’s desperately sick, and, there’s all these people who are trying to say, ‘Oh, well, they deserve it.’ Nobody deserves to be treated like this.

  2. Becky Pepper-Jackson:

    I just want to run, I come from a family of runners, i know how hurtful a law like this is to all kids like me who just want to play sports with their classmates, and I'm doing this for them. Trans kids deserve better.

  3. Sally Lloyd Jones ':

    I think if you treat children with excellence and you write with excellence then you write with the kind of quality they deserve and you work hard and you don’t just dumb it down. Excellence is the most inclusive thing and you are going to reach the adult without even being able to help it. and when do we ever hear the plot line of the Bible? she said. We may go to church and be there for Bible study but it is very rare that we are going to sit down and actually read the Bible cover to cover. Most of us think we we know what the Bible is all about. It’s about the God who loves us, it is a story of his love for us.

  4. Jason Ballard:

    I am deeply disappointed that Chris Hurst has decided to end his campaign in such a reckless way, his latest misstep is yet another reason why he doesn't deserve another term as Delegate. I, on the other hand, will remain laser focused on the issues that matter most to the people of the 12th District. I will always strive to set a good and positive example for my children and the fine people of the New River Valley.

  5. Jim Silver:

    The Barbie collector market has been strong for many years but Mattel has pivoted to featuring many more role models, the shift has been extremely popular with their collector fans and also has garnered widespread attention for those role models who should be honored and often don’t get the recognition they deserve.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

deserve#1#8336#10000

Translations for deserve

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for deserve »

Translation

Find a translation for the deserve definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"deserve." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/deserve>.

Discuss these deserve definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for deserve? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Browse Definitions.net

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    (used especially of glances) directed to one side with or as if with doubt or suspicion or envy
    A bibulous
    B repugnant
    C lank
    D askant

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for deserve: