serve out

serve out (third-person singular simple present serves out, present participle serving out, simple past and past participle served out)

1. (transitive, tennis) To win a set, or by extension a match, by holding serve (winning a game as the server).
   • 2011 June 28, Piers Newbery, “Wimbledon 2011: Sabine Lisicki beats Marion Bartoli”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     She held her nerve after failing to serve out the match at the first attempt, seeing three match points slip by in a nervous service game at 6-4 5-4 and recovering from losing the tie-break to dominate the decider.

2. (transitive) To serve the whole of some period.

   The politician did not serve out his term.

3. (transitive) To deal out or distribute.

   The waiters served out soup to the guests.

4. (transitive, archaic) To pay back; to have one's revenge on.
   • 1863, Charles Kingsley, The Water-Babies:

     'Yar!' said she, 'you little meddlesome wretch, I have you now! I will serve you out for telling the salmon where I was!'

• outserve