Definition of serve up

The phrase "serve up" originated in the world of tennis in the late 19th century. In tennis, a player serves the ball over the net and into their opponent's court, with the aim of starting a rally. The term "serve" refers to this action. The expression "serve up" is a figurative usage that emerged from this context. It originally referred to a tennis player serving the ball in a way that was advantageous for them, such as by placing it in a difficult-to-reach location or hitting it particularly hard. In this sense, "serve up" means to provide something in a way that is particularly beneficial or favourable. Over time, the expression has been adopted more broadly to describe the act of delivering or presenting something in a way that is attractive, effective, or beneficial. This could be in a variety of contexts, such as serving up a dish in a restaurant, serving up a presentation at work, or serving up sentimental memories in a conversation. Tennis remains a popular source of idiomatic expressions, with other examples including "playing a blinder" (playing well), "double fault" (making a mistake), and "love set match" (converting the first set with a score of 6-0). The rich repertoire of tennis-inspired phrases remind us of the enduring popularity of this sport, as well as its role in shaping English language and culture.