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Webster 1913 Edition

Verb.

[

imp. & p. p.

Subserved

;

p. pr. & vb. n.

Subserving

[L.

subservire

;

sub

under +

servire

to serve. See

To serve in subordination or instrumentally; to be subservient to; to help forward; to promote.

It is a great credit to know the ways of captivating Nature, and making her

subserve

our purposes, than to have learned all the intrigues of policy.

Glanvill.

Verb.

To be subservient or subordinate; to serve in an inferior capacity.

Not made to rule,
But to

subserve

where wisdom bears command.

Milton.

Verb.

subserv.' [L. subservio; sub and servio, to serve.]

To serve in subordination; to serve instrumentally. In most engines, we make the laws of matter subserve the purposes of art.

Not made to rule,

But to subserve where wisdom bears command.