provide Meaning, Definition & Usage

verb give something useful or necessary to
furnish; render; supply.
- We provided the room with an electrical heater
verb give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance
cater; ply; supply.
- The hostess provided lunch for all the guests
verb 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
verb mount or put up
put up; offer.
- put up a good fight
- offer resistance
verb make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain
leave; allow for; allow.
- 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 for lots of leeway
verb supply means of subsistence; earn a living
bring home the bacon.
- 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
verb take measures in preparation for
- provide for the proper care of the passengers on the cruise ship

L. providere, provisum; pro before + videre to see. See Vision, and cf. Prudent, Purvey.

imperfect & past participle Provided; present participle & verbal noun Providing

To look out for in advance; to procure beforehand; to get, collect, or make ready for future use; to prepare. "Provide us all things necessary." Shak.
To supply; to afford; to contribute.
Bring me berries, or such cooling fruit As the kind, hospitable woods provide. Milton.
To furnish; to supply; -- formerly followed by of, now by with. "And yet provided him of but one." Jer. Taylor. "Rome . . . was well provided with corn." Arbuthnot.
To establish as a previous condition; to stipulate; as, the contract provides that the work be well done.
To foresee. A Latinism Obs. B. Jonson.
To appoint to an ecclesiastical benefice before it is vacant. See Provisor. Prescott.

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; as, to provide against the inclemency of the weather; to provide for the education of a child.
Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Burke.
To stipulate previously; to condition; as, the agreement provides for an early completion of the work.