Dictionary

public service en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A service performed for the public good.
   • This has been a public service announcement from the Advertising Council.
   • A Hypocrite may put on the World in many specious Duties, to the Ruin of the Public, but never can be a Condidate^([sic]) for Fame, without doing a Public Service, a general Good ev’n by the very Hypocrisy […] 1702, Examen Miscellaneum […], Preface:
   • They feel that public service is a noble calling that calls for every citizen in one way or another.
   • They provide counseling as a public service.
2. (countable) A service such as health care, transport, or waste removal provided to the general public, often by the government.
   • In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. The welfare state is dismantled. Essential public services are cut so that the rich may pay less tax. […] 2013 May 17, George Monbiot, “Money just makes the rich suffer”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 23, page 19:
3. (countable) The organisation, department or business providing such a service.
4. (uncountable) Government employment, especially in the civil service.
   • In spite of more than three decades of public service, I knew I was an unknown quantity to many of my countrymen and to much of the world when I assumed office. 1971, Lyndon Johnson, “‘I feel like I have already been here a year’”, in The Vantage Point, Holt, Reinhart & Winston, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 18:
   • We know that there are people in much lower offices in public service who adhere to those principles without question and without problems. Does my right hon. Friend find it regrettable that the Prime Minister does not? 2022 June 7, Meg Hillier, “Standards in Public Life”, in parliamentary debates (House of Commons), volume 715, column 676:

Forms

Deriveds

public service announcement

Relateds

publification

Translations (43)

it assistenza pubblica (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · ga seirbhís phoiblí (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · eo publika servo (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · cmn 公用事業機構 /公用事业机构 (organisation, department or business providing such a service) · sw utumishi wa umma (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · tl lingkurang-madla (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · it servizio pubblico (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · tl serbisyong publiko (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · fr service public (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · fi julkinen palvelu (government employment) · cmn 公益服務 /公益服务 (service provided for the public good) · pt serviço público (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · de Daseinsvorsorge (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · hu közszolgáltatás (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · cmn 公務員職位 /公务员职位 (government employment) · pl usługa państwowa (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · id pelayanan umum (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · cmn 公職 /公职 (government employment) · hu közszolgálat (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · gl servizo público (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · cmn 公共事業 /公共事业 (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · fi julkispalvelu (service provided for the public good) · pl usługa publiczna (service provided for the public good) · pl służba państwowa (government employment) · cmn 公用事業 /公用事业 (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · id pelayanan publik (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · ka საჯარო სამსახური (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · ca servei públic (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · cmn 公營事業單位 /公营事业单位 (organisation, department or business providing such a service) · gd seirbheis chatharra (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · fi julkinen palvelu (service provided for the public good) · id layanan masyarakat (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · ms perkhidmatan awam (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · cmn 公共服務 /公共服务 (service provided for the public good) · pl organizacja państwowa (organisation, department or business providing such a service) · de öffentliche Dienstleistung (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · fi julkinen palvelu (organisation, department or business providing such a service) · fi julkispalvelu (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · fi julkinen palvelu (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · es servicio público (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · sv allmännytta (service provided to the general public by government or other official body) · fi julkispalvelu (organisation, department or business providing such a service) · fi julkispalvelu (government employment)