Definition of "deserve" []

• To be worthy of; merit. See Synonyms at earn1. (verb-transitive)
• To be worthy or deserving. (verb-intransitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• ""None deserve the fair but the _brave_ [_deserve the fair_."] "They postpone the thing which [_they ought to do, and do not] but_ which [_thing_] they cannot avoid purposing to do.""
• "To say that evangelical Christians believe that non-evangelicals deserve to suffer and die is like saying that people who sell life and disability insurance believe that those who don’t follow their advice to buy insurance *deserve* to suffer and live in penury and/or have their families suffer and live in penury if they die or become disabled."
• "Chris is a fine chap and a fine journo who has done wonders with the dusty old left-wing mag over the past few years, and his efforts to save the title deserve to succeed."