service

give/pay lip service to something

to say that you agree with and support an idea or plan but not do anything to help it to succeed. The company pays lip service to the notion of racial equality but you look around you and all you see are white faces.

See also: give, lip, pay

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at someone's service

ready to help someone as soon as they ask. In this business, the customer comes first, and our employees need to remember that we are at their service.

press someone into service

to persuade or force someone to do something. Murphy pressed his sister into service to do the research.

See also: press

press something into service

to use something for an unusual purpose. A few buses and trucks were pressed into service, but the vast majority of refugees walked.

See also: press

put something into service

to begin to use something. The boat was sold to a Danish firm and put into service as a ferry on the North Sea.

Usage notes: usually said about something that is provided regularly

see service

to be a member of the military. He saw service during the Seven Years War and became an aide to Frederick the Great.

See also: see