servo

Etymology 1

Clipping of servomotor.

noun

1. A servomechanism or servomotor.
   A Lockheed Type 6 remote servo adds a 1.9 multiplier to the pedal pressures and, at about £140, is rather cheaper than all the Girling single line remote servos I′ve seen advertised. 2003, Roger Williams, How to Improve Triumph TR5, 250 and 6, page 45
   If you are using Futaba servos with the application, make sure that you change the data values accordingly. 2004, Myke Predko, 123 Robotics Experiments for the Evil Genius, page 300
   The servo is an autonomic element of a control system: Setting a desired value of an output parameter makes a servo do its job independently of other factors as long as the specified value remains constant. 2008, Mark L. Latash, Neurophysiological Basis of Movement, page 95

verb

1. To control by means of servocontrol

Etymology 2

Clipping of service station + -o.

noun

1. (Australia, New Zealand) A service station, being a place to buy petrol for cars etc., as well as various convenience items, with or without actual car service facilities.
   Two hours later Susan pulled the Pajero off the road onto the floodlit apron of the servo at the end of the Bowen bypass. 2002, Alex Miller, Journey to the Stone Country, Allen & Unwin, published 2003, page 83
   Crude oil is purchased in US dollars, so the price of the petrol at your local servo is heavily influenced by the rate of exchange between the greenback and the Aussie dollar. 2008, Roz Hopkins, Pumped, page 12
   July 16 2011, “Beechboro servo bandit escapes with cash”, in The West Australian:
   July 17 2011, “Teen arrested over servo robbery”, in Illawarra Mercury: