Dictionary

serve someone right en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) Of an unpleasant event, to happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.
   • What, now he wishes he hadn't voted for the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party? Serves him right!
   • "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." "And serves you right," said Jane, the pert chambermaid, "if you will take their money to get drunk on." 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:
2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see serve, right.
   • If my memory serves me right, we had a similar discussion a few months ago.

Forms

Relateds

have it your way · just deserts · rightly so · arightly · rightly · righteously · ask for it · rightfully · damn right · have it coming

Translations (50)

pt bem feito! (serves you right!) · sv rätt åt (någon) (serves you right!) · de verdient haben (happen to someone who deserves it) · pl należeć się (happen to someone who deserves it) · fi olla jollekin oikein (happen to someone who deserves it) · yue 抵死 (serves you right!) · nan 應該 /应该 (serves you right!) · hu úgy kell neki (happen to someone who deserves it) · ar يخدم لكم الحق (serves you right!) · nl zijn verdiende loon (happen to someone who deserves it) · es habérselo merecido (happen to someone who deserves it) · fr bien fait ! (serves you right!) · mi kaitoa! (serves you right!) · hu úgy kell neked! (serves you right!) · it ti sta bene! (serves you right!) · ru сам винова́т! (serves you right!) · yue 抵死 (happen to someone who deserves it) · de jemandem recht geschehen (happen to someone who deserves it) · es ¡te está bien empleado! (serves you right!) · es estarle bien empleado (happen to someone who deserves it) · cs komu patřit (serves you right!) · cmn 活該 /活该 (serves you right!) · ro bine ți-a făcut! (serves you right!) · es habérselo buscado (happen to someone who deserves it) · ru подело́м тебе́! (serves you right!) · it ti sta come un vestito nuovo (serves you right!) · fi ihan oikein sinulle (serves you right!) · sv vara rätt åt någon (happen to someone who deserves it) · th สมน้ำหน้า (serves you right!) · el καλά να πάθετε (serves you right!) · ru сама́ винова́та! (serves you right!) · ro bine îți face! (serves you right!) · uk так тобі і треба (serves you right!) · ms padan muka! (serves you right!) · uk бути по заслузі (happen to someone who deserves it) · fr cheh (happen to someone who deserves it) · ja 様を見ろ！ (serves you right!) · pl sam/sama jesteś sobie winien/winna (serves you right!) · hu megérdemled! (serves you right!) · cmn 活該 /活该 (happen to someone who deserves it) · nan 死好 (serves you right!) · uk коту́зі по заслу́зі (serves you right!) · ru так тебе́ и на́до! (serves you right!) · pl dobrze ci tak (serves you right!) · pt (ser) bem feito para object (happen to someone who deserves it) · el καλά να πάθεις (serves you right!) · pl masz, na co zasłużyłeś/zasłużyłaś (serves you right!) · ro așa îți trebuie! (serves you right!) · hu megérdemli (happen to someone who deserves it) · de geschieht dir recht! (serves you right!)