Past tense of deserve; to have earned or been worthy of something through actions, qualities, or circumstances. Implies a judgment about what someone merits.
From Old French 'deservir' meaning 'to serve well' or 'merit', from Latin 'deservire'. The concept evolved from serving faithfully to earning reward or punishment through one's actions or character.
The notion of 'deserving' is deeply tied to human concepts of justice and fairness, yet different cultures have vastly different ideas about what constitutes deserved outcomes. Interestingly, young children develop a sense of fairness before they can even speak.
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