inservire

inservire [CL] 1 to serve the interests of, devote oneself to. b to indulge in, resort to. omnes qui in caecitate mentis occulte vitiis ~iunt Bede Gen. 177; ego ‥ quodam miserabili fato demonicis semper artibus ~ii W. Malm. GR II 204 p. 254; R. Cold. Godr. 273 (v. delectabiliter b); fures inserviunt, fervent flagiciis / Christum proiciunt summis blasphemiis Planct. Univ. Ox. 109.  b nec verborum faleris secus quam decet ~iens in altum tumeat J. Furness Kentig. prol. p. 161; sed vir pacificus nolens cum eis contendere, malitiis magis cedendum censuit, quam litigiis inservire V. Edm. Rich P 1811C. 2 (eccl.) to be engaged or occupied in (liturgical service). b (pr. ppl. as sb. f.) worshipper. 965 nec ipse custos ‥ migrandi licentiam habeat . ‥ si res rationabilis ita exigerit quo necesse est sub silentio vel psalmodiis ~iendo cum benedictione eat (Const. Edgar) CS 1168 p. 425; non otiosis fabulis vacent sed ‥ psalmodiis ~iant RegulC 11; regularibus tota die ~iebat obsequiis cenobii V. Neot. A 2; psalmis et horis, lectioni et orationi vigilanter ~iunt Gir. TH III 27; 1517 ad usum sacerdotum summe misse ~iencium Invent. Ch. Ch. 123.  b cultrix, i. ~iens, bigengestre GlH C 2179. 3 to take care of, be responsible for. 1334 duobus garcionibus ~ientibus fenum in granar’ domini prioris, xij d. Ac. Durh. 524. 4 to become a serf. si Anglicus furetur, qui per forisfacturam ~ierit, suspendatur (Quad.) GAS 101; si quis sit wytaservus noviter effectus [propter forisfactum noviter ~ierit] (Ib.) Ib. 111; si vero aliquis eum injuste cogat ~ire (Leg. Hen. 89. 2a) Ib. 605.