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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Deserve: Meaning, Examples, and Correct Usage (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：merit (deserve)

deserve 🔊

/dɪˈzɜːrv/

If you did something good or worked hard, you deserve something good in return.

Deserve positive outcome employee of the month trophy handshake

merit 🔊

➕

/ˈmerɪt/

To be worthy of or entitled to a positive outcome because of one's actions or qualities.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Latin 'deservire' (de- + servire 'serve') => 'earn through service'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think: you SERVE others, so you DESERVE rewards.

📖 Example

She worked so hard on the project; she deserves that promotion. 🔊 She worked so hard on the project; she deserves that promotion.

🔗 Collocations

deserve credit – to be worthy of praise or recognition

deserve a chance – to be entitled to an opportunity

deserve respect – to be worthy of admiration

🔄 Synonyms

merit (v.) – to be worthy of something, typically praise or reward

warrant (v.) – to justify or call for a certain action or outcome

earn (v.) – to gain something through effort or behavior

🚫 Antonyms

unworthy (adj.) – not deserving or not having merit

forfeit (v.) – to lose or be deprived of something as a penalty

disqualify (v.) – to make someone unsuitable or ineligible for something

🌱 Derivatives

deserved (adj.) – rightly earned or merited

deserving (adj.) – worthy of something, typically praise or reward

undeserved (adj.) – not deserved or merited

📖 Cultural Story

From Latin 'deservire' ('serve well'). First used in English around 1200. Core to concepts of justice.

Meaning 2：incur (deserve)

deserve 🔊

/dɪˈzɜːrv/

If you did something bad, you deserve the bad result or punishment that comes.

Deserve negative consequence broken vase regretful expression

incur 🔊

➕

/ɪnˈkɜːr/

To be liable to suffer a negative outcome, such as punishment or criticism, because of one's actions.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

He was rude to everyone, so he deserves the criticism he's getting now. 🔊 He was rude to everyone, so he deserves the criticism he's getting now.

🔗 Collocations

deserve punishment – to be liable to receive a penalty

deserve criticism – to be worthy of disapproval or blame

deserve blame – to be responsible and accountable for something wrong

🔄 Synonyms

incur (v.) – to become subject to something unpleasant as a result of one's actions

warrant (v.) – to justify a negative consequence or action

earn (negative) (v.) – to receive something deservedly, especially punishment

🚫 Antonyms

avoid (v.) – to keep away from a negative consequence

escape (v.) – to get free from punishment or unpleasantness

elude (v.) – to evade or avoid something unwanted

🌱 Derivatives

deserved (adj.) – rightly earned or merited

deserving (adj.) – worthy of something, typically praise or reward

undeserved (adj.) – not deserved or merited