Reading Theme:
Community Service: Definition, Examples & Usage (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：volunteer work (community service)
community service
/kəˈmjuːnəti ˈsɜːrvɪs/
n.
Unpaid work that people do to help their local area or the people living there.
volunteer work
➕
/ˌvɑːlənˈtɪr wɜːrk/
n.
Unpaid work done by individuals to benefit their local area or its residents, often through organizations or informal groups.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'communis' (common) + 'servitium' (service), meaning service for the common good.
💡 Mnemonic
Think of serving your community to build a better neighborhood.
📖 Example
Every Saturday morning, a group of teenagers do community service by picking up litter in the local park.
Every Saturday morning, a group of teenagers do community service by picking up litter in the local park.
🔗 Collocations
perform community service – To carry out unpaid work for the community.
community service hours – The number of hours spent on such unpaid work.
community service project – A planned activity aimed at benefiting the local area.
🔄 Synonyms
volunteering (n.) – The act of offering to do something without expecting payment.
charity work (n.) – Unpaid work done for the benefit of others, often through philanthropic organizations.
public service (n.) – Work done for the benefit of the public, often by government or voluntary groups.
🚫 Antonyms
paid labor (n.) – Work for which compensation is received.
selfishness (n.) – Acting solely for one's own benefit without regard for others.
📖 Cultural Story
In many US high schools, community service is a graduation requirement to encourage civic responsibility.
Meaning 2：court-ordered unpaid work (community service)
community service
/kəˈmjuːnəti ˈsɜːrvɪs/
n.
A sentence given by a court where an offender must do unpaid work for the community instead of going to prison.
court-ordered unpaid work
➕
/kɔːrt ˈɔːrdərd ʌnˈpeɪd wɜːrk/
n.
A judicial penalty requiring an offender to perform unpaid work for the community as an alternative to imprisonment or a fine.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The judge ordered the graffiti artist to complete 100 hours of community service instead of paying a fine.
The judge ordered the graffiti artist to complete 100 hours of community service instead of paying a fine.
🔗 Collocations
complete community service – To fulfill the required hours of unpaid work as ordered by a court.
community service order – A legal directive issued by a court mandating such unpaid work.
mandatory community service – Unpaid work that is legally required as part of a sentence.
🔄 Synonyms
penal labor (n.) – Work imposed as punishment for a crime.
alternative sentencing (n.) – A form of punishment other than incarceration, often involving community work.
rehabilitative work (n.) – Work intended to reform an offender while benefiting society.
🚫 Antonyms
imprisonment (n.) – The state of being confined in prison as a punishment.
fine (n.) – A monetary penalty imposed by a court.
Wordbook
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