This is the 16780th most frequent Russian word.
служили
"Served."
Here, 'служили' is used to indicate the past tense of 'служить', meaning to serve, specifically referring to military service.
Они служили в армии два года.
They served in the army for two years.
In this sentence, 'служили' denotes the past usage of 'служить', meaning to function or fulfill a purpose.
Эти старинные стулья служили бабушке долгое время.
These antique chairs served grandmother for a long time.
In this example, 'служили' illustrates serving a purpose or goal metaphorically, emphasizing contribution towards achieving a result.