deserve
Valid in Scrabble
- Scrabble points
- 11
- Words With Friends
- 12
- Letters
- 7
/dɪˈzɜːv/
See all 4 pronunciations Show less
/dɪˈzɜːv/ · /dɪˈzɝv/ · /dəˈzɝv/ · /dɪˈzɑːv/
Definition of deserve
4 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included
verb
-
(transitive)To be entitled to, as a result of past actions; to be worthy to have.
“After playing so well, the team really deserved their win.”
“After what he did, he deserved to go to prison.”
“We don't think your article deserves reading.”
“God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.”
“John Gay deserved to be a favourite.”
See all 4 definitions Show less
verb
-
(transitive)To be entitled to, as a result of past actions; to be worthy to have.
“After playing so well, the team really deserved their win.”
“After what he did, he deserved to go to prison.”
“We don't think your article deserves reading.”
“God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.”
“John Gay deserved to be a favourite.”
-
(obsolete)To earn, win.
“That gentle Lady, whom I loue and serue, / After long suit and weary seruicis, / Did aske me, how I could her loue deserue, / And how she might be sure, that I would neuer swerue.”
-
(obsolete)To reward, to give in return for service.
“Gramercy saide the kynge / & I lyue sir Lambegus I shal deserue hit / And thenne sir Lambegus armed hym / and rode after as fast as he myghte”
“Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call; / I may command at most. Get weapons, ho! / And raise some special officers of night. / On, good Roderigo: I'll deserve your pains.”
-
(obsolete)To serve; to treat; to benefit.
“c. 1619–22, Philip Massinger and John Fletcher, A Very Woman A man that hath / So well deserved me.”
Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
Etymology
From Middle English deserven, from Old French deservir, from Latin dēserviō, from dē- + serviō.
Words you can make from deserve
57 playable · top: SEVERED (11 pts)
Best play severed 11 points6-letter words
8 words5-letter words
12 words4-letter words
17 words3-letter words
14 words2-letter words
5 wordsHooks
3 extensions · 3 back
A single letter you can add to deserve to make another valid word.
Find your best play with deserve
See every word you can make from a set of letters that includes deserve, or browse word lists you can mine for high-scoring plays.