Overserving

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Giving a patron more alcoholic drinks than is safe or responsible, often leading to intoxication
2. Supplying a customer with drink beyond the point of sobriety, which can be a legal liability for a bar
3. Pouring so much alcohol for a guest that they become dangerously intoxicated and impaired

Etymology: "Overserving" is the present participle and gerund of "overserve," a verb built from the prefix "over-" attached to "serve." The prefix is an old and productive English one, used since Old English to mean "above," "beyond," or "too much," so "overserve" carries the sense of serving someone beyond what is wise or necessary. The most familiar use of the word today is in the context of alcohol, where serving a drink past the point of sobriety or safety is the central concern. Its meaning is therefore essentially the literal sum of its parts: "serve" in the sense of providing food or drink, with "over-" marking excess. Because the formation is transparent, the word needs little further explanation beyond the prefix and its root.