WordValeprovision
an arrangement made in advance
In more detail
1. (noun) a supply of food, equipment, or other items needed for a particular purpose
2. (noun) a condition or requirement in an agreement or law
3. (verb) to supply someone with food, equipment, or other necessary items
Examples
- 1. The hikers packed provisions for their three-day trek into the mountains.
- 2. The contract includes a provision that allows either party to cancel with 30 days' notice.
- 3. The government was responsible for provisioning the military base with fuel and supplies.
How to use provision
As a noun meaning supply, it is often used in the plural (provisions) to refer to food and necessities. As a noun meaning condition or requirement, it appears in formal legal and contractual contexts. The verb is less common in modern usage but survives in formal or technical writing. The word carries a formal or official tone across all meanings.
Common phrases
- make provision for
- provision of services
- contractual provision
- legal provision
- adequate provisions
Synonyms
supply · stock · equipment · stipulation · clause
Word family
provisioning · provisional · provisionally · provisioner
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 'provision' (a supply or condition) with 'provison' (misspelling), or use the singular when plural is expected when referring to food supplies.
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