Definition of the word provide

Last Updated:
11 Apr 2023
— Updated example sentences

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Inherited from Middle English providen, from Latin prōvidēre (“to foresee, act with foresight”). Doublet of purvey.

Pronunciation[edit]

• enPR: prə-vīdʹ, IPA^(key): /pɹəˈvaɪd/
• Rhymes: -aɪd
• Hyphenation: pro‧vide

Verb[edit]

provide (third-person singular simple present provides, present participle providing, simple past and past participle provided)

1. To make a living; earn money for necessities.

   It is difficult to provide for my family working on minimum wage.

2. To act to prepare for something.

   provide against disaster.

3. To establish as a previous condition; to stipulate.

   The contract provides that the work be well done.

   I’ll lend you the money, provided that you pay it back by Monday.

4. To give what is needed or desired, especially basic needs.

   Don’t bother bringing equipment, as we will provide it.

   We aim to provide the local community with more green spaces.

   • 2006, Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, The Penguin Press, →ISBN, page 320:

     Humans provided the animals with food and protection in exchange for which the animals provided the humans their milk, eggs, and—yes—their flesh.

5. To furnish (with), cause to be present.

   • 1727, John Arbuthnot, Tables of Ancient Coins, Weights and Measures. Explain’d and exemplify’d in several dissertations:

     Rome […] was generally well provided with corn.

6. To make possible or attainable.

   He provides us with an alternative option.

   • 1634 October 9 (first performance), [John Milton], H[enry] Lawes, editor, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC:

     Bring me berries, or such cooling fruit / As the kind, hospitable woods provide.

7. (obsolete, Latinism) To foresee, to consider in advance.
   • , Act 5, Scene 10, in Gifford’s 1816 edition volume III page 144

     We have not been covetous, honourable fathers, to change, neither is it now any new lust that alters our affection, or old lothing, but those needful jealousies of state, that warn wiser princes hourly to provide their safety, and do teach them how learned a thing it is to beware of the humblest enemy; much more of those great ones, whom their own employed favours have made fit for their fears.

   • 1606, Ben Jonson, Volpone, Dedication, in Gifford’s 1816 edition volume III page 164:

     As for those that will (by faults which charity hath raked up, or common honesty concealed) make themselves a name with the multitude, or, to draw their rude and beastly claps, care not whose living faces they intrench with their petulant styles, may they do it without a rival, for me! I choose rather to live graved in obscurity, than share with them in so preposterous a fame. Nor can I blame the wishes of those severe and wise patriots, who providing the hurts these licentious spirits may do in a state, desire rather to see fools and devils, and those antique relics of barbarism retrieved, with all other ridiculous and exploded follies, than behold the wounds of private men, of princes and nations

8. To appoint to an ecclesiastical benefice before it is vacant. See provisor.

   • 1838, William H[ickling] Prescott, History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Boston, Mass.: American Stationers’ Company; John B. Russell, →OCLC:

     provide such natives to the higher dignities of the church

Usage notes[edit]

As seen in the examples, when not used with that for previous conditions, provide is used with the prepositions for (beneficiary; also without preposition, usual for pronouns) and with (object).

Conjugation[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

• provider

[edit]

• provision

Translations[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

• prevoid

Galician[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• provinde

Verb[edit]

provide

1. second-person plural imperative of provir

Italian[edit]

Verb[edit]

provide

1. third-person singular past historic of provedere

Anagrams[edit]

• deprivo, deprivò, provedi

Latin[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From prōvidus (“prophetic, prudent, cautious”) +‎ -ē, from prōvideō (“foresee, be cautious”).

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈproː.u̯i.deː/, [ˈproːu̯ɪd̪eː]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈpro.vi.de/, [ˈprɔːvid̪e]

Adverb[edit]

prōvidē (comparative prōvidius, superlative prōvidissimē)

1. carefully, prudently

Verb[edit]

prōvidē

1. second-person singular present active imperative of prōvideō

Noun[edit]

prōvide

1. singular vocative of prōvidus

References[edit]

• “provide”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• provide in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette

types:

show 149 types…

hide 149 types…

hydrate

supply water or liquid to in order to maintain a healthy balance

charge

energize a battery by passing a current through it in the direction opposite to discharge

date

provide with a dateline; mark with a date

feed

feed into; supply

calk

provide with calks

fund

provide a fund for the redemption of principal or payment of interest

scant, skimp, stint

supply sparingly and with restricted quantities

terrace, terrasse

provide (a house) with a terrace

dado

provide with a dado

innervate

supply nerves to (some organ or body part)

offer

make available or accessible, provide or furnish

signalise, signalize

provide with traffic signals

extend, offer

make available; provide

stock

provide or furnish with a stock of something

buy in, stock, stock up

amass so as to keep for future use or sale or for a particular occasion or use

caption

provide with a caption, as of a photograph or a drawing

tube

provide with a tube or insert a tube into

ticket

provide with a ticket for passage or admission

stock

supply with livestock

stock

supply with fish

rim

furnish with a rim

fret

provide (a musical instrument) with frets

step

furnish with steps

rail

provide with rails

grate

furnish with a grate

capitalise, capitalize

supply with capital, as of a business by using a combination of capital used by investors and debt capital provided by lenders

alphabetise, alphabetize

provide with an alphabet

wharf

provide with a wharf

air-condition, air-cool

equip with an apparatus for controlling the humidity and temperature

uniform

provide with uniforms

railroad

supply with railroad lines

partner

provide with a partner

bewhisker, whisker

furnish with whiskers

subtitle

supply (a movie) with subtitles

headline

provide (a newspaper page or a story) with a headline

match

provide funds complementary to

hobnail

supply with hobnails

wive

provide with a wife; marry (someone) to a wife

victual

supply with food

cloy, surfeit

supply or feed to surfeit

heat

provide with heat

seat

provide with seats

seat

put a seat on a chair

ramp

furnish with a ramp

arm

supply with arms

interleave

provide (books) with blank leaves

glass, glaze

furnish with glass

crenel, crenelate, crenellate

supply with battlements

causeway

provide with a causeway

canal, canalise, canalize

provide (a city) with a canal

bush

provide with a bushing

brattice

supply with a brattice, to ventilate mines

furnish

provide or equip with furniture

slat

equip or bar with slats

berth

provide with a berth

bed

furnish with a bed

computerise, computerize

provide with computers

costume

furnish with costumes; as for a film or play

bottom

provide with a bottom or a seat

rafter

provide (a ceiling) with rafters

tool

furnish with tools

key

provide with a key

fuel

provide with a combustible substance that provides energy

provision, purvey

supply with provisions

afford, give, yield

be the cause or source of

equip, fit, fit out, outfit

provide with (something) usually for a specific purpose

transistorise, transistorize

equip (an electronic circuit or device) with transistors

upholster

provide furniture with padding, springs, webbing, and covers

cleat

provide with cleats

coal

supply with coal

corbel

furnish with a corbel

cornice

furnish with a cornice

constitutionalize

provide with a constitution, as of a country

copper-bottom

provide with a copper bottom

curtain

provide with drapery

gate

supply with a gate

index

provide with an index

articulate, joint

provide with a joint

pour

supply in large amounts or quantities

pump

supply in great quantities

fire, fuel

provide with fuel

flood, glut, oversupply

supply with an excess of

toggle

provide with a toggle or toggles

patch

provide with a patch; also used metaphorically

water

provide with water

leverage

provide with leverage

tap

furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it

top, top out

provide with a top or finish the top (of a structure)

reflectorise, reflectorize

provide with reflectors, such as chemicals

retrofit

provide with parts, devices, or equipment not available or in use at the time of the original manufacture

border, edge, fringe

provide with a border or edge

machicolate

supply with projecting galleries

sanitate

provide with sanitary facilities or appliances

hat

furnish with a hat

theme

provide with a particular theme or motive

kern

furnish with a kern

headquarter

provide with headquarters

shelter

provide shelter for

rig, set, set up

equip with sails or masts

mechanise, mechanize, motorise, motorize

equip with armed and armored motor vehicles

recharge

charge anew

open, open up

make available

date-mark, dateline, datemark

mark with a date and place

date, date stamp

stamp with a date

hook, solicit

approach with an offer of sexual favors

fuse

equip with a fuse; provide with a fuse

collar

furnish with a collar

spur

equip with spurs

fin

equip (a car) with fins

motorize

equip with a motor

motorize

equip with a motor vehicle

plant

place into a river

restock

stock again

overstock

stock excessively

understock

stock with less than the usual or desirable number or quantity

stock

equip with a stock

steam-heat

heat by means of steam

reseat

provide with new seats

reseat

provide with a new seat

munition

supply with weapons

rearm

arm again

double-glaze

provide with two sheets of glass

refurnish

furnish with new or different furniture

bunk

provide with a bunk

gas up

fill with gasoline

refuel

provide with additional fuel, as of aircraft, ships, and cars

bunker

fill (a ship’s bunker) with coal or oil

horseshoe

equip (a horse) with a horseshoe or horseshoes

turn out

outfit or equip, as with accessories

instrument

equip with instruments for measuring, recording, or controlling

muzzle

fit with a muzzle

kit, kit out, kit up

supply with a set of articles or tools

appoint

furnish

re-equip, rejig

re-equip a factory or plant

refit

fit out again

armor, armour

equip with armor

accouter, accoutre

provide with military equipment

wire

provide with electrical circuits

shaft

equip with a shaft

spar

furnish with spars

stave

furnish with staves

adorn, clothe, invest

furnish with power or authority; of kings or emperors

domiciliate, house, put up

provide housing for

kennel

put up in a kennel

stable

shelter in a stable

stall

put into, or keep in, a stall

commission

put into commission; equip for service; of ships

harbor, harbour

secretly shelter (as of fugitives or criminals)

allow, allow for, leave

make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain

What do we mean by provide?

To make available (something needed or desired); furnish. intransitive verb

To supply something needed or desired to. intransitive verb

To have as an available or desirable feature; afford. intransitive verb

To set down as a stipulation or requirement. intransitive verb

To make ready ahead of time; prepare. intransitive verb

To take measures in preparation. intransitive verb

To supply means of subsistence. intransitive verb

To make a stipulation or requirement. intransitive verb

To foresee; look forward to.

To procure beforehand; get, collect, or make ready for future use; prepare.

To furnish; supply: now often followed by with, but formerly also by of.

To make ready; prepare.

To make or lay down as a previous arrangement, guaranty, or provision; make a previous condition, supposition, or understanding: as, the agreement provides that the party shall incur no loss.

Eccles., to grant the right to be in future presented to a benefice which is not vacant at the time of the grant. See provision, 8.

To procure or furnish supplies, means of defense, or the like: as, to provide liberally for the table.

To take measures for counteracting or escaping something: often followed by against or for.

To make ready; prepare.

To procure supplies or means in advance; to take measures beforehand in view of an expected or a possible future need, especially a danger or an evil; — followed by against or for intransitive verb

To stipulate previously; to condition. intransitive verb

To make a living; earn money for necessities.

To act to prepare for something.

To establish as a previous condition; to stipulate.

To give what is needed or desired, especially basic needs.

To furnish (with), cause to be present.

To make possible or attainable.

(Latinism) To foresee.

To appoint to an ecclesiastical benefice before it is vacant. See provisor.

1. To copulate and care for
2. To feed on bread Urban Dictionary

One Of The Best Indie Bands Out There, Check Out Fueled By Ramen To Learn More About Them. Urban Dictionary

Capital of and largest city in Rhode Island. A city initially founded by exile Roger Williams in the 1630s, it has since evolved to the diverse and dynamic city it is today. As an education center, it is home to Ivy League Brown University, artist mecca Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and Providence College (PC) which is home of the Friars. The East Side is an affluent treasure of many beautiful historic homes. Federal Hill once most known for the Italian mafia and the Patriarca crime family, is now world renown for its Italian cuisine. Providence South Side is now a mecca of diversity and has become a landing spot for cultures from all over the world. It’s a small but truly underrated city. Urban Dictionary

A euphemism for prostitute, one who performs sexual acts in exchange for monetary compensation. Urban Dictionary

Home of Brown University (the only thing NYC socialites know the state for, due to rich college bound kids), RISD (thus the crazy shit on telephone poles and insanely dressed thayer’s street shoppers), Providence Place Mall (where all Rhode Islanders have, at least, been), Federal Hill (a special place with excellent food and well done jobs), and a river flowing with acid waste and occasionally water-fire, among other fabulous Rhode Island-y things. Urban Dictionary

A real man that takes care of his kids and his woman in the same household.. Urban Dictionary

Someone who is a prostitue. Urban Dictionary

The capital of Rhode Island. Kind of like the illegitimate lovechild of Boston, LA, and the Soviet Union.
Bad part of town: Southside Urban Dictionary

The beastin’ capital of Rhode Island that’s (still) run by the mob where you can be shot, stabbed, grab some Dell’s, watch the polluted river be lit on fire, go to college, and buy rims.
The phrases you’ll most hear in Providence are … «I know a guy ..» «Yea, it fell off the back of a truck.» «Walking on cobblestones wouldn’t be so hard if I wasn’t drunk.» «Oh, shit ! The popo’s !» — haha nobody says the last one.
It’s a kickass town and nothing compares to it.
Suck on that Boston. Urban Dictionary

A FEMALE prostitute. Urban Dictionary

provide prəˈvaɪd снабжать; обеспечивать to provide smb. with money ― снабдить кого-либо деньгами обеспечивать (средствами к существованию) to provide for a large family ― обеспечивать большую семью предоставлять, давать to provide meals ― предоставить питание to provide an opportunity for smb. to do smth. ― предоставить кому-либо возможность сделать что-либо принимать меры, (при)готовиться to provide against a surprise attack ― принять меры против внезапного нападения предусматривать in my plans for the journey, I have provided for possible accidents ― планируя свое путешествие, я предусмотрел возможные случайности юр. предусматривать, обусловливать the contract provides for payment in cash ― договор предусматривает уплату наличными юр. запрещать this contract provides against the resale of the goods ― этот договор запрещает перепродажу товаров церк. ист. предоставлять (священнику) бенефиций до открытия вакансии provided ̈ɪprəˈvaɪdɪd обеспеченный снабженный готовый provided for all eventualities ― готовый ко всяким неожиданностям предусмотренный provided by the articles ― предусмотренный уставом (общества) при условии (что), если только, в том случае если I shall give you my dictionary provided you return it tomorrow ― я дам вам свой словарь при условии, что вы завтра его вернете provided school ̈ɪprəˈvaɪdɪd ̈ɪsku:l несовр. государственная школа, школа на государственном обеспечении (с 1944 г. называется county school) providence ˈprɔvɪdəns предусмотрительность редк. бережливость (P.) рел. провидение, промысел божий; Бог to tempt P., to fly in the face of P. ― искушать судьбу ам. бедствие, несчастье provident ˈprɔvɪdənt предусмотрительный, осмотрительный provident society ― общество взаимного страхования provident and subtle statesman ― дальновидный и тонкий государственный деятель бережливый, расчетливый he is provident of money ― он не бросает деньги на ветер providential ˌprɔvɪˈdenʃəl рел. предопределенный, ниспосланный провидением, судьбой или богом чудесный, счастливый providential escape ― чудесное избавление редк. предусмотрительный, осмотрительный provider prəˈvaɪdə поставщик universal provider ― торговец, торгующий самым разнообразным товаром разг. кормилец (семьи) he’s a good provider ― он хорошо обеспечивает семью lion’s provider ― `прислужник льва` (прозвище шакала); подхалим, лизоблюд

• Defenition of the word provide

  • To give what is needed or desired.
  • determine (what is to happen in certain contingencies), esp. by including a proviso condition; «The will provides that each child should receive half of the money»
  • provide what is desired or needed, esp. support, food or sustenance; «The hostess provided lunch for all the guests»
  • mount or put up; «put up a good fight»; «offer resistance»
  • provide or furnish with; «We provided the room with an electrical heater»
  • take measures in preparation for; «provide for the proper care of the passengers on the cruise ship»
  • determine (what is to happen in certain contingencies), especially by including a proviso condition or stipulation; «The will provides that each child should receive half of the money»; «The Constitution provides for the right to free speech»
  • provide what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance; «The hostess provided lunch for all the guests»
  • supply means of subsistence; earn a living; «He provides for his large family by working three jobs»; «Women nowadays not only take care of the household but also bring home the bacon»
  • make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain; «This leaves no room for improvement»; «The evidence allows only one conclusion»; «allow for mistakes»; «leave lots of time for the trip»; «This procedure provides
  • take measures in preparation for
  • determine (what is to happen in certain contingencies), especially by including a proviso condition or stipulation
  • give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance
  • supply means of subsistence; earn a living
  • give something useful or necessary to
  • mount or put up
  • make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain

Synonyms for the word provide

• • afford
  • bestow
  • cater
  • endow with
  • furnish
  • give
  • grant
  • impart
  • make available
  • offer
  • ply
  • present
  • put up
  • render
  • supply

Similar words in the provide

• • provide
  • provided
  • providence
  • providence’s
  • providences
  • provident
  • providential
  • providentially
  • providently
  • provider
  • provider’s
  • providers
  • provides

Hyponyms for the word provide

• • accommodate
  • afford
  • air-condition
  • air-cool
  • alphabetize
  • arm
  • articulate
  • bed
  • berth
  • bewhisker
  • board
  • border
  • bottom
  • brattice
  • bush
  • buy in
  • calk
  • canal
  • canalise
  • canalize
  • capitalise
  • capitalize
  • caption
  • cater
  • causeway
  • charge
  • cleat
  • cloy
  • coal
  • computerise
  • computerize
  • constitutionalize
  • copper-bottom
  • corbel
  • cornice
  • costume
  • crenel
  • crenelate
  • crenellate
  • curtain
  • dado
  • date
  • dish
  • dish out
  • dish up
  • drench
  • edge
  • equip
  • extend
  • feed
  • fill
  • fire
  • fit
  • fit out
  • fix up
  • flood
  • fret
  • fuel
  • fulfil
  • fulfill
  • fund
  • furnish
  • gate
  • give
  • glass
  • glaze
  • glut
  • grate
  • gratify
  • gutter
  • hat
  • headline
  • headquarter
  • heat
  • help
  • hobnail
  • horse
  • hydrate
  • index
  • indulge
  • innervate
  • interleave
  • joint
  • kern
  • key
  • leverage
  • machicolate
  • match
  • meet
  • nourish
  • nurture
  • offer
  • outfit
  • oversupply
  • pander
  • partner
  • patch
  • pimp
  • pour
  • power
  • procure
  • provision
  • pump
  • purvey
  • rafter
  • rail
  • railroad
  • ramp
  • reflectorise
  • reflectorize
  • regale
  • retrofit
  • rim
  • sanitate
  • satisfy
  • scant
  • seat
  • serve
  • serve up
  • shelter
  • shower
  • signalise
  • signalize
  • skimp
  • slat
  • staff
  • step
  • stint
  • stock
  • stock up
  • subtitle
  • surfeit
  • sustain
  • tap
  • terrace
  • terrasse
  • theme
  • ticket
  • toggle
  • tool
  • top
  • top out
  • transistorise
  • transistorize
  • treat
  • tube
  • underlay
  • uniform
  • upholster
  • victual
  • water
  • wharf
  • whisker
  • wive
  • yield

Hypernyms for the word provide

• • afford
  • condition
  • engage
  • fix
  • gear up
  • give
  • prepare
  • qualify
  • ready
  • set
  • set up
  • specify
  • stipulate
  • support
  • wage
  • yield

See other words

• • What is conciliation
  • The definition of concisely
  • The interpretation of the word conciliators
  • What is meant by conciliates
  • The lexical meaning conciliate
  • The dictionary meaning of the word conchs
  • The grammatical meaning of the word conched
  • Meaning of the word conch
  • Literal and figurative meaning of the word conciliated
  • The origin of the word concoctions
  • Synonym for the word concomitant
  • Antonyms for the word concomitants
  • Homonyms for the word dosed
  • Hyponyms for the word concordance
  • Holonyms for the word equalize
  • Hypernyms for the word keep steady
  • Proverbs and sayings for the word wait on
  • Translation of the word in other languages concocts

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Evidence of defendants’ lavish lifestyles is often used to provide a motive for fraud. Jurors sometimes wonder why an executive making tens of millions of dollars would cheat to make even more. Evidence of habitual gluttony helps provide the answer.

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ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD PROVIDE

From Latin prōvidēre to provide for, from prō- beforehand + vidēre to see.

PRONUNCIATION OF PROVIDE

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF PROVIDE

Provide is a verb.

WHAT DOES PROVIDE MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Definition of provide in the English dictionary

The first definition of provide in the dictionary is to put at the disposal of; furnish or supply. Other definition of provide is to afford; yield. Provide is also to take careful precautions.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO PROVIDE

PRESENT

PAST

FUTURE

CONDITIONAL

IMPERATIVE

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH PROVIDE

SYNONYMS OF «PROVIDE»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «provide» and belong to the same grammatical category.

TRANSLATION OF PROVIDE

Find out the translation of provide to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «PROVIDE»

The term «provide» is very widely used and occupies the 1.214 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.

Principal search tendencies and common uses of provide

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «PROVIDE» OVER TIME

10 QUOTES WITH «PROVIDE»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word provide.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «PROVIDE»

Discover the use of provide in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to provide and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «PROVIDE»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term provide is used in the context of the following news items.

REFERENCE

« EDUCALINGO. Provide [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/provide>. Apr 2023 ».

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‘provide‘ also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):