servio

Servio, servire, servivi (or servii), servitum, fourth conjugation. The one fact to hold is the case: servio takes the DATIVE, not the accusative. Servire domino, "to serve a master"; servire hostibus, "to be subject to the enemy". English pulls the other way and this is where people go wrong.

It is built on servus, "slave", so the flavour is subjection rather than waiting at table; servitium is slavery and servitus the legal condition. Ecclesiastical Latin turns that on its head - servire Deo is worship, and servus Dei is a title of honour, most famously in servus servorum Dei. Do not confuse it with servo, servare, servavi, servatum, first conjugation, "keep, guard, save", which takes a plain accusative. Servavit is "he saved"; servivit is "he served".