Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - service

~1 n »FOR THE PUBLIC« 1 public services (countable often plural things such as education, hospitals, banks etc that are provided for the public to use  (the decline in public services in recent times | the welfare/medical/social etc service (=services provided especially by the government) | police/fire/ambulance etc service)  (He joined the police service at the age of 18.) 2 jury/military/community etc service something that ordinary people can be asked to do for the public as a public duty or as a punishment  (You're lucky you were only sentenced to community service.) »HELP« 3 help that you give to someone  (be of service (=help someone))  (Don't thank me - I'm glad to be of service. | do sb a service (=do something to help someone))  (Oh, thanks, it'll be doing me a service. | provide a service (=provide help for someone) | for services rendered formal (=for help that you have given)) 4 »SHOP/HOTEL ETC« the help that people who work in a shop, restaurant, bar etc give you  (What was the service in that new restaurant like? | customer service)  (For refunds, please go to the customer service counter.) 5 »ORGANIZATION« an organization that provides advice and help, for example with legal or personal problems  (a careers information service) 6 be at your service formal or humorous if someone or something is at your service, they are available to help you in some way if you need them  (My secretary and library are at your service.) 7 press sb/sth into service to persuade someone to help you, or use something to help you do something  (We pressed Georgie's old bike into service.) »WORK DONE FOR SB« 8 »EMPLOYMENT« (plural, the work you do for a person or organization  (20/30 years etc of service)  (Brian's retiring after 25 years of loyal service to the company. | services to sb (=work, especially successful work, you have done for someone))  (an award for services to the printing industry | public service (=work done for the public or the government)) 9 »SERVANT« the job of working as a servant in someone's house, especially in former times  (be in service (=be working as a servant in someone's house) | domestic service (=the job of working for someone in their house)) 10 »BUSINESS« a business that provides help or does jobs for people rather than producing things  (the export of both manufactured goods and services | a babysitting/press-cutting/ironing etc service)  (She's set up a dog-walking service in her local area.)  (- see also service industry) 11 »GOVERNMENT« C usually singular an organization that works directly for a government  (the diplomatic service | the foreign service) »ARMY/NAVY ETC« 12 the services a country's military forces, especially considered as a job  (I'm not sure what I'll do, maybe join the services.) 13 (be on) active service to be actually fighting in a battle or war while you are in the army, navy etc »OTHER MEANINGS« 14 »RELIGION« a formal religious ceremony, for example in church  (hold/conduct a service (=be the person in charge of a service))  (The Reverend James Wilkins will conduct the service. | marriage/funeral/christening etc)  (a memorial service for the disaster victims) 15 »SPORT« an act of hitting a ball through the air in order to start a game, for example in tennis  (It's your service.) 16 services BrE a place near a motorway where you can stop and have a meal or drink, or buy food, petrol etc  (How far is it to the next services?)  (- see also service station) 17 »CAR/MACHINE« an examination and repair of a machine or car to keep it working properly  (I'm getting the bus home - my car's in for a service.) 18 »PLANES ETC« dinner/tea service a set of matching plates, bowls, cups etc 19 »BUS/TRAIN« C usually singular a regular journey made by a bus, train, boat etc to a particular place or at a particular time  (the 8:15 service to Cambridge)  (- see also lip service) ~2 v 1 to examine a machine or vehicle and fix it if necessary  (I'm having the car serviced next week.) 2 to provide people with something they need or want  (city departments that service the local communities) 3 technical to pay the interest1 (4) on a debt ~3 adj service stairs/elevator etc stairs etc that are only for the use of people working in a place, rather than the public