Deserve

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  deserve \de*serve"\ (d[-e]*z[~e]rv"), v. i.
     To be worthy of recompense; -- usually with ill or with well.
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           One man may merit or deserve of another. --South.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Deserve \De*serve"\ (d[-e]*z[~e]rv"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
     {Deserved}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Deserving}.] [OF. deservir,
     desservir, to merit, L. deservire to serve zealously, be
     devoted to; de- + servire to serve. See {Serve}.]
     1. 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.
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              God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity
              deserveth.                            --Job xi. 6.
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              John Gay deserved to be a favorite.   --Thackeray.
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              Encouragement is not held out to things that deserve
              reprehension.                         --Burke.
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     2. To serve; to treat; to benefit. [Obs.]
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              A man that hath
              So well deserved me.                  --Massinger.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  deserve
       v : be worthy or deserving; "You deserve a promotion after all
           the hard work you have done" [syn: {merit}]