"serve someone right" meaning in English

See serve someone right in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Audio: En-au-serve someone right.ogg Forms: serves someone right [present, singular, third-person], serving someone right [participle, present], served someone right [participle, past], served someone right [past]
Head templates: {{en-verb|*}} serve someone right (third-person singular simple present serves someone right, present participle serving someone right, simple past and past participle served someone right)
  1. (idiomatic, of an unpleasant event) To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it. Tags: idiomatic Translations (happen to someone who deserves it): 抵死 (dai² sei²) (Chinese Cantonese), 活該 (Chinese Mandarin), 活该 (huógāi) (Chinese Mandarin), zijn verdiende loon (Dutch), olla jollekin oikein (Finnish), cheh (French), jemandem recht geschehen (German), verdient haben (German), megérdemli (Hungarian), úgy kell neki (Hungarian), (ser) bem feito para object (Portuguese), habérselo merecido (Spanish), habérselo buscado (Spanish), estarle bien empleado (Spanish), vara rätt åt någon (Swedish), бути по заслузі (buty po zasluzi) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-serve_someone_right-en-verb-1aSJ4SaD Categories (other): English predicates Disambiguation of English predicates: 55 45 Disambiguation of 'happen to someone who deserves it': 97 3
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see serve, right. Related terms: ask for it, have it coming, just deserts Translations (serves you right!): يخدم لكم الحق (Arabic), 抵死 (dai² sei²) (Chinese Cantonese), 活該 (Chinese Mandarin), 活该 (huógāi) (Chinese Mandarin), komu patřit (Czech), ihan oikein sinulle (Finnish), bien fait ! (French), geschieht dir recht! (German), καλά να πάθεις (kalá na pátheis) (Greek), καλά να πάθετε (kalá na páthete) (Greek), megérdemled! (Hungarian), úgy kell neked! (Hungarian), ti sta bene! (Italian), 様を見ろ! (zama-o miro!) (alt: ざまをみろ!) (Japanese), padan muka! (Malay), kaitoa! (Maori), dobrze Ci tak! [feminine, masculine] (Polish), masz na co zasłużyłeś! [masculine] (Polish), masz na co zasłużyłaś! [feminine] (Polish), sam jesteś sobie winien! [masculine] (Polish), sama jesteś sobie winna! [feminine] (Polish), bem feito! (Portuguese), așa îți trebuie! (Romanian), bine îți face! (note: of an event in the present) (Romanian), bine ți-a făcut! (note: of an event in the past) (Romanian), подело́м тебе́! (podelóm tebé!) (Russian), так тебе́ и на́до! (tak tebé i nádo!) (Russian), сам винова́т! (sam vinovát!) [addressee-masculine] (Russian), сама́ винова́та! (samá vinováta!) [addressee-feminine] (Russian), ¡te está bien empleado! (Spanish), rätt åt (någon) (Swedish), สมน้ำหน้า (sǒm-nám-nâa) (Thai), коту́зі по заслу́зі (kotúzi po zaslúzi) (Ukrainian), так тобі і треба (tak tobi i treba) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-serve_someone_right-en-verb-gUqavGm- Categories (other): English links with manual fragments, English entries with incorrect language header, English predicates, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Arabic translations, Terms with Cantonese translations, Terms with Czech translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Malay translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Maori translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Romanian translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Swedish translations, Terms with Thai translations, Terms with Ukrainian translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 22 78 Disambiguation of English predicates: 55 45 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 23 77 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 30 70 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 16 84 Disambiguation of Terms with Arabic translations: 14 86 Disambiguation of Terms with Cantonese translations: 19 81 Disambiguation of Terms with Czech translations: 32 68 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 26 74 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 23 77 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 25 75 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 18 82 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 26 74 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 32 68 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 20 80 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 18 82 Disambiguation of Terms with Malay translations: 33 67 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 20 80 Disambiguation of Terms with Maori translations: 24 76 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 28 72 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 33 67 Disambiguation of Terms with Romanian translations: 24 76 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 18 82 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 18 82 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 24 76 Disambiguation of Terms with Thai translations: 33 67 Disambiguation of Terms with Ukrainian translations: 23 77 Disambiguation of 'serves you right!': 24 76

Inflected forms

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "serves someone right",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "serving someone right",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "served someone right",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "served someone right",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "serve someone right (third-person singular simple present serves someone right, present participle serving someone right, simple past and past participle served someone right)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "55 45",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English predicates",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, “Chapter XVIII”, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, →OCLC:",
          "text": "\"And they counts my money and tickets, when I gets home, to see if I's got the change; and if I han't they half kills me.\"\n\"And serves you right,\" said Jane, the pert chambermaid, \"if you will take their money to get drunk on.\"",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it."
      ],
      "id": "en-serve_someone_right-en-verb-1aSJ4SaD",
      "links": [
        [
          "deserve",
          "deserve"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, of an unpleasant event) To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "of an unpleasant event"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "roman": "dai² sei²",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "抵死"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "活該"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "huógāi",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "活该"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "zijn verdiende loon"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "olla jollekin oikein"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "cheh"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "jemandem recht geschehen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "verdient haben"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "megérdemli"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "úgy kell neki"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "(ser) bem feito para object"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "habérselo merecido"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "habérselo buscado"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "estarle bien empleado"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "vara rätt åt någon"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "buty po zasluzi",
          "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
          "word": "бути по заслузі"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English links with manual fragments",
          "parents": [
            "Links with manual fragments",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "22 78",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "55 45",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English predicates",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 77",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 70",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 84",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 86",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Arabic translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 81",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Cantonese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "32 68",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Czech translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "26 74",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 77",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "25 75",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 82",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "26 74",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "32 68",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "20 80",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 82",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Japanese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 67",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Malay translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "20 80",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 76",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Maori translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "28 72",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 67",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 76",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Romanian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 82",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 82",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 76",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 67",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Thai translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 77",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Ukrainian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "If my memory serves me right, we had a similar discussion a few months ago.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see serve, right."
      ],
      "id": "en-serve_someone_right-en-verb-gUqavGm-",
      "links": [
        [
          "serve",
          "serve#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "right",
          "right#Adverb"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95",
          "word": "ask for it"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95",
          "word": "have it coming"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 95",
          "word": "just deserts"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "يخدم لكم الحق"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "roman": "dai² sei²",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "抵死"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "活該"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "huógāi",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "活该"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "komu patřit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "ihan oikein sinulle"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "bien fait !"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "geschieht dir recht!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "kalá na pátheis",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "καλά να πάθεις"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "kalá na páthete",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "καλά να πάθετε"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "megérdemled!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "úgy kell neked!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "ti sta bene!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "alt": "ざまをみろ!",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "zama-o miro!",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "様を見ろ!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "padan muka!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "kaitoa!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "dobrze Ci tak!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "masz na co zasłużyłeś!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "masz na co zasłużyłaś!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "sam jesteś sobie winien!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "sama jesteś sobie winna!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "bem feito!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "așa îți trebuie!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "note": "of an event in the present",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "bine îți face!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "note": "of an event in the past",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "bine ți-a făcut!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "podelóm tebé!",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "подело́м тебе́!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "tak tebé i nádo!",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "так тебе́ и на́до!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "sam vinovát!",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "tags": [
            "addressee-masculine"
          ],
          "word": "сам винова́т!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "samá vinováta!",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "tags": [
            "addressee-feminine"
          ],
          "word": "сама́ винова́та!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "¡te está bien empleado!"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "rätt åt (någon)"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "th",
          "lang": "Thai",
          "roman": "sǒm-nám-nâa",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "สมน้ำหน้า"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "kotúzi po zaslúzi",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "коту́зі по заслу́зі"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "24 76",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "tak tobi i treba",
          "sense": "serves you right!",
          "word": "так тобі і треба"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-serve someone right.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/ed/En-au-serve_someone_right.ogg/En-au-serve_someone_right.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/En-au-serve_someone_right.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "serve someone right"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English predicates",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Arabic translations",
    "Terms with Cantonese translations",
    "Terms with Czech translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Japanese translations",
    "Terms with Malay translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Maori translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Romanian translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations",
    "Terms with Thai translations",
    "Terms with Ukrainian translations"
  ],
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "serves someone right",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "serving someone right",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "served someone right",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "served someone right",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "serve someone right (third-person singular simple present serves someone right, present participle serving someone right, simple past and past participle served someone right)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "ask for it"
    },
    {
      "word": "have it coming"
    },
    {
      "word": "just deserts"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, “Chapter XVIII”, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, →OCLC:",
          "text": "\"And they counts my money and tickets, when I gets home, to see if I's got the change; and if I han't they half kills me.\"\n\"And serves you right,\" said Jane, the pert chambermaid, \"if you will take their money to get drunk on.\"",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "deserve",
          "deserve"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, of an unpleasant event) To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "of an unpleasant event"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English links with manual fragments",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "If my memory serves me right, we had a similar discussion a few months ago.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see serve, right."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "serve",
          "serve#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "right",
          "right#Adverb"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-serve someone right.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/e/ed/En-au-serve_someone_right.ogg/En-au-serve_someone_right.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/En-au-serve_someone_right.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "roman": "dai² sei²",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "抵死"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "活該"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "huógāi",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "活该"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "zijn verdiende loon"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "olla jollekin oikein"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "cheh"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "jemandem recht geschehen"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "verdient haben"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "megérdemli"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "úgy kell neki"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "(ser) bem feito para object"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "habérselo merecido"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "habérselo buscado"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "estarle bien empleado"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "vara rätt åt någon"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "buty po zasluzi",
      "sense": "happen to someone who deserves it",
      "word": "бути по заслузі"
    },
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "يخدم لكم الحق"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "roman": "dai² sei²",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "抵死"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "活該"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "huógāi",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "活该"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "komu patřit"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "ihan oikein sinulle"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "bien fait !"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "geschieht dir recht!"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "kalá na pátheis",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "καλά να πάθεις"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "kalá na páthete",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "καλά να πάθετε"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "megérdemled!"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "úgy kell neked!"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "ti sta bene!"
    },
    {
      "alt": "ざまをみろ!",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "zama-o miro!",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "様を見ろ!"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "padan muka!"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "kaitoa!"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "dobrze Ci tak!"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "masz na co zasłużyłeś!"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "masz na co zasłużyłaś!"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "sam jesteś sobie winien!"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "sama jesteś sobie winna!"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "bem feito!"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "așa îți trebuie!"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "note": "of an event in the present",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "bine îți face!"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "note": "of an event in the past",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "bine ți-a făcut!"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "podelóm tebé!",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "подело́м тебе́!"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "tak tebé i nádo!",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "так тебе́ и на́до!"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "sam vinovát!",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "tags": [
        "addressee-masculine"
      ],
      "word": "сам винова́т!"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "samá vinováta!",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "tags": [
        "addressee-feminine"
      ],
      "word": "сама́ винова́та!"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "¡te está bien empleado!"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "rätt åt (någon)"
    },
    {
      "code": "th",
      "lang": "Thai",
      "roman": "sǒm-nám-nâa",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "สมน้ำหน้า"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "kotúzi po zaslúzi",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "коту́зі по заслу́зі"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "tak tobi i treba",
      "sense": "serves you right!",
      "word": "так тобі і треба"
    }
  ],
  "word": "serve someone right"
}

Download raw JSONL data for serve someone right meaning in English (8.9kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.