¹supply

verb sup·ply \sə-ˈplī\

: to make (something) available to be used : to provide someone or something with (something that is needed or wanted)

sup·pliedsup·ply·ing

Full Definition of SUPPLY

transitive verb

: to add as a supplement

[Middle French souploier, alteration of soupplier]

a : to provide for : satisfy <laws by which the material wants of men are supplied — Bulletin of Bates College>

b : to make available for use : provide <supplied the necessary funds>

c : to satisfy the needs or wishes of

d : to furnish (organs, tissues, or cells) with a vital element (as blood or nerve fibers)

: to substitute for another in; specifically : to serve as a supply in (a church or pulpit)

intransitive verb

: to serve as a supply or substitute

— sup·pli·er \-ˈplī(-ə)r\ noun

See supply defined for English-language learners

See supply defined for kids

Origin of SUPPLY

Middle English supplien to complete, compensate for, from Middle French soupplier, from Latin supplēre to fill up, complete, raise (a military unit, crew) to its full complement, substitute, from sub- up + plēre to fill — more at sub-, full

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SUPPLY

Synonyms: accoutre (or accouter), equip, fit (out), gird, kit (up or out) [chiefly British], outfit, provision, rig, furnish

Antonyms: hold (back), keep (back), reserve, retain, withhold

Rhymes with SUPPLY

aby, agley, air-dry, Alai, ally, Altai, anti, apply, assai, awry, aye-aye, Bacchae, Baha'i, banzai, barfly, bee fly, Belgae, belie, bigeye, big lie, black eye, blackfly, black tie, blow-dry, blowby, blowfly, blue-sky, Bo Hai, bone-dry, bonsai, botfly, Brunei, buckeye, bugeye, bye-bye, canaille, catchfly, cat's-eye, Chennai, chess pie, Chiang Mai, cockeye, cockshy, come by, comply, cow pie, crane fly, cross-eye, deadeye, decry, deep-fry, deep-sky, deerfly, defy, Delphi, deny, descry, do by, dong quai, drip-dry, drop by, dry eye, dry fly, elhi, Eli, espy, face fly, firefly, fish-eye, flesh fly, flyby, fly high, forby, freeze-dry, frogeye, fruit fly, gadfly, gallfly, get by, GI, glass eye, go by, good-bye, greenfly, grisaille, gun-shy, Haggai, Hawkeye, heel fly, hereby, hi-fi, hog-tie, horn fly, horsefly, housefly, imply, jai alai, July, Karzai, Kasai, knee-high, lanai, Lanai, lay-by, lay by, Lehigh, let fly, Levi, lie by, magpie, mai tai, mao-tai, Masai, mayfly, medfly, mind's eye, Moirai, mooneye, Mumbai, my eye, nearby, necktie, nilgai, nisi, outbye, outcry, oxeye, pad thai, Panay, panfry, Parcae, piece-dye, pigsty, pinkeye, Po Hai, pop eye, pop fly, potpie, put by, Qinghai, quasi, rabbi, red-eye, rely, reply, rib eye, ride high, rocaille, rough-dry, run dry, Sakai, sand fly, sci-fi, screw eye, semi, Sendai, serai, set by, shanghai, Shanghai, sheep's eye, shoofly, shut-eye, Sinai, sky-high, small-fry, stand by, standby, stir-fry, string tie, swear by, terai, test-fly, thereby, tie-dye, titi, tongue-tie, Transkei, twist tie, two-ply, untie, vat dye, Versailles, walleye, well-nigh, whereby, whitefly, wild rye, wise guy

²supply

noun

: the amount of something that is available to be used

supplies : things (such as food, equipment, fuel, etc.) that are needed for a particular purpose and that will be used by a particular person or group

: the process or system by which something is provided to a person, place, etc.

plural supplies

Full Definition of SUPPLY

obsolete : assistance, succor

a obsolete : reinforcements —often used in plural

b : a member of the clergy filling a vacant pulpit temporarily

c : the quantity or amount (as of a commodity) needed or available <beer was in short supply in that hot weather — Nevil Shute>

d : provisions, stores —usually used in plural

: the act or process of filling a want or need <engaged in the supply of raw materials to industry>

: the quantities of goods or services offered for sale at a particular time or at one price

: something that maintains or constitutes a supply

See supply defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of SUPPLY

15th century

Related to SUPPLY

Synonyms: budget, force, fund, inventory, pool, repertoire, reservoir, stock

SUPPLY Defined for Kids

¹supply

verb sup·ply \sə-ˈplī\

sup·pliedsup·ply·ing

Definition of SUPPLY for Kids

: to provide for : satisfy <There is enough to supply the demand.>

: to make available : furnish <The tree supplies shade.>

²supply

noun

plural sup·plies

Definition of SUPPLY for Kids

: the amount of something that is needed or can be gotten <medical supplies>

: ²store 3 <I keep a supply of pencils in my desk.>

: the act or process of providing something <The company is engaged in the supply of raw materials.>

Medical Dictionary

supply

transitive verb sup·ply \sə-ˈplī\

sup·pliedsup·ply·ing

Medical Definition of SUPPLY

: to furnish (organs, tissues, or cells) with a vital element (as blood or nerve fibers)—used of nerves and blood vessels <the mandibular foramen transmits blood vessels and nerves supplying the lower teeth>