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Definition of deserve verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

deserve

verb
 
/dɪˈzɜːv/
 
/dɪˈzɜːrv/
not used in the progressive tenses
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they deserve
 
/dɪˈzɜːv/
 
/dɪˈzɜːrv/
he / she / it deserves
 
/dɪˈzɜːvz/
 
/dɪˈzɜːrvz/
past simple deserved
 
/dɪˈzɜːvd/
 
/dɪˈzɜːrvd/
past participle deserved
 
/dɪˈzɜːvd/
 
/dɪˈzɜːrvd/
-ing form deserving
 
/dɪˈzɜːvɪŋ/
 
/dɪˈzɜːrvɪŋ/
Idioms
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  1. to do something or show qualities that mean a particular reaction, reward or punishment is appropriate
    • deserve something You deserve a rest after all that hard work.
    • The report deserves careful consideration.
    • This idea deserves more attention.
    • One player in particular deserves a mention.
    • England deserve tremendous credit for the way they played
    • to deserve praise/respect
    • What have I done to deserve this?
    • He finally received the recognition that he so richly deserved.
    • deserve to do something They didn't deserve to win.
    • He deserves to be locked up for ever for what he did.
    • deserve doing something Several other points deserve mentioning.
    Extra Examples
    • She deserves some reward for all her hard work.
    • This hotel fully deserves its four-star grading.
    • His work received only a tiny mention in the journal; he deserves better.
    • It's true she made a mistake but she hardly deserves to lose her job.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • certainly
    • definitely
    • really
    preposition
    • for
    phrases
    • deserve better
    • well deserved
    See full entry
    Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French deservir, from Latin deservire ‘serve well or zealously’.
Idioms
somebody deserves a medal
  1. (informal) used to say that you admire somebody because they have done something difficult or unpleasant
    • She deserves a medal for teaching those 5-year-olds all day!
    • You really deserve a medal!
get what you deserve | deserve all/everything you get | deserve what's coming (to you)
  1. (informal) used to say that you think somebody has earned the bad things that happen to them
    • He did wrong, and he got what he deserved.
    • Let's just say they deserve what's coming to them.
one good turn deserves another
  1. (saying) you should help somebody who has helped you
See deserve in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee deserve in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
dizzy
adjective
 
 
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