servicing

servicing — noun

1. the work of examining a car, machine, or appliance and fixing any faults so that

1.nounB2
Definition

the work of examining a car, machine, or appliance and fixing any faults so that it stays in good working condition

Example

The garage charged Jiwoo NT$8,500 for a full servicing of her used car.

full servicing — complete scheduled check-up

Regular boiler servicing by the landlord keeps the heating running through winter.

Regular + [equipment] + servicing — common collocation pattern

Common collocations
  • regular servicing
  • full servicing
  • annual servicing
  • car servicing
  • boiler servicing
  • servicing schedule
  • due for servicing
Synonyms
  • maintenance

    broader term that covers both regular care and servicing; 'maintenance' can include cleaning and minor adjustments, while 'servicing' often implies a professional check

  • overhaul

    a much more thorough examination and rebuilding of a machine, usually when it is old or broken, not a routine check

  • tune-up

    specific to engines/vehicles; less formal and usually less thorough than a full servicing

Grammar Patterns

servicing + of + noun phrase

regular/annual/full + servicing

due for + servicing

Usage Note

Servicing for machines usually refers to a scheduled check-up (annually or after a set number of hours of use), not an emergency repair.

Common Mistakes

I took my car for a service repair.
I took my car for servicing.
'servicing' already includes the idea of checking and repairing; 'service repair' is redundant.

2. the process of making regular interest and principal payments on borrowed money

2.nounC1
Definition

the process of making regular interest and principal payments on borrowed money such as a loan, mortgage, or bond

Example

The bank handles the servicing of Diego's student loan for a small monthly fee.

servicing of + loan — common finance collocation

Samir's restaurant struggled to keep up with debt servicing after the road construction blocked customer access.

debt servicing — the most frequent compound form

Common collocations
  • debt servicing
  • loan servicing
  • mortgage servicing
  • servicing fees
  • debt-servicing costs
  • loan-servicing department
Synonyms
  • repayment

    broader term for paying back borrowed money; 'repayment' focuses on the act of returning the principal, while 'servicing' includes interest payments as well

  • amortization

    a specific accounting method for spreading loan payments over time; more technical and narrower than 'servicing'

Antonyms
  • default

    failure to keep up with debt servicing payments

Grammar Patterns

debt + servicing

servicing + of + loan/mortgage/debt

loan + servicing

Usage Note

Frequently used as part of the compound noun debt servicing or as a modifier (loan-servicing department). This sense is almost exclusively formal and appears in banking, accounting, and financial contexts.

Common Mistakes

I need to do the servicing of my credit card.
I need to make my credit card payment.
'servicing' for debt is used for large formal loans (mortgages, bonds, student loans), not for everyday credit card bills.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all relate to keeping machines or vehicles in working order, but they differ in scope and frequency. Maintenance is the broadest term, covering everything from cleaning and oiling to full inspections — it is the most common everyday word. Servicing specifically refers to a scheduled professional check that follows a manufacturer's checklist (e.g., annual car servicing). A tune-up is a less formal term, mostly used for engines, and usually involves adjusting parts (spark plugs, timing) rather than a thorough inspection. An overhaul is the most extensive — it means taking a machine apart completely, often after a breakdown or after many years of use. A repair, by contrast, is done only when something is already broken. For example: "I took my car for its annual servicing, not just a repair." vs. "The old engine needed a complete overhaul, not a simple tune-up."

maintenance ↗overhaultune-uprepair ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • due for servicing
  • servicing requirements
  • servicing schedule

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Servicing is the gerund form of the verb 'service', which itself came from the noun 'service' (from Old French 'servise', from Latin 'servitium' meaning slavery or servitude, from 'servus' — slave). The meaning shifted from 'performing a service for someone' to 'keeping a machine in working order' in the early 1900s, and the financial sense ('servicing a debt') appeared in the mid-20th century.