¹provision

noun pro·vi·sion \prə-ˈvi-zhən\

: the act or process of supplying or providing something

: something that is done in advance to prepare for something else

provisions : a supply of food and other things that are needed

Full Definition of PROVISION

a : the act or process of providing(see provide)

b : the fact or state of being prepared beforehand

c : a measure taken beforehand to deal with a need or contingency : preparation <made provision for replacements>

: a stock of needed materials or supplies; especially : a stock of food —usually used in plural

: proviso, stipulation

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Examples of PROVISION

The President, of all people, should know how difficult it is to take care of basic things like, say, prescription drugs for the elderly or shelter from the storm—especially if your government places a low priority on the efficient provision of public services and a high priority on the care and feeding of cronies … —Joe Klein, Time, 6 Feb. 2006
Nothing was overlooked. There was a fallback position, a fail-safe provision, for any contingency. —Gary Wills, New York Times Book Review, 1 Apr. 2001
They wheedled the American Congress into awarding entry terms more favorable than those enjoyed by any other state, including two unique provisions: Texas and not the federal government would own all public lands, and the state would retain forever the right to divide into five smaller states if that proved attractive, each one to have two senators and a proportionate number of representatives. —James A. Michener, Texas, 1985
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Origin of PROVISION

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin provision-, provisio act of providing, from Latin, foresight, from providēre to see ahead — more at provide

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PROVISION

Synonyms: contingency, if, condition, proviso, qualification, reservation, stipulation

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

Rhymes with PROVISION

abscission, collision, concision, decision, derision, division, dream vision, elision, elysian, envision, excision, incision, misprision, North Frisian, Parisian, precisian, precision, prevision, recision, rescission, revision

²provision

verb pro·vi·sion \prə-ˈvi-zhən\

: to supply (someone or something) with provisions and especially with food

pro·vi·sionedpro·vi·sion·ing \-ˈvi-zhə-niŋ, -ˈvizh-niŋ\

Full Definition of PROVISION

transitive verb

: to supply with needed materials (as food) : to supply with provisions

See provision defined for English-language learners

Examples of PROVISION

Few modern eaters consume such a wide range of plants, fruits, and animals, even when provisioned by a vast international or multi-ethnic marketplace. —Donna R. Gabaccia, We Are What We Eat, 1998
But biographies, like translations, are rarely provisioned to last forever, for they reflect the world of their authors as much as their subjects. —Morris Dickstein, New York Times Book Review, 1 Feb. 1998
As the cubs began to feed more regularly on meat, she provisioned them with hares, hyraxes, an Egyptian mongoose, and guinea fowl. —John A. Cavallo, Natural History, February 1990
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