provide

provide
\ \ [15] The -vide of provide goes back to Latin vidēresee’ (source of English vision), which is a long way from the English verb’s main present-day meaning, ‘supply’. Its Latin ancestor prōvidēre, formed with the prefix prō- ‘before’, meant ‘foresee’ – a sense which survived into English: ‘evident and sufficient signs, whereby may be provided and foreseen the aborcement [abortion] before it comes’, Thomas Raynalde, Birth of Mankind 1545. But already in Latin it had moved on to ‘exercise foresight by making preparations’, and this formed the basis of the later ‘supply’. Other English descendants of prōvidēre include improvise, provident [15] (a close relative of prudent), provision [14], proviso [15], and purvey [13].
\ \ Cf.IMPROVISE, PROVISION, PROVISO, PRUDENT, PURVEY, VISION

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • provide — pro‧vide [prəˈvaɪd] verb [transitive] 1. to give someone what they need, or to make sure they get it: • The World Bank is providing funding for the project. provide somebody with something • Our computerised information service can provide busy… …   Financial and business terms

  • provide — provide, supply, furnish mean to give or to get what is desired by or needed for someone or something. The words are often used interchangeably without seeming loss {provide what is needed for an army} {supply daily rations of food} {furnish… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Provide — Pro*vide , v. i. 1. 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Provide — Pro*vide , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Provided}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Providing}.] [L. providere, provisum; pro before + videre to see. See {Vision}, and cf. {Prudent}, {Purvey}.] 1. To look out for in advance; to procure beforehand; to get, collect, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • provide — ► VERB 1) make available for use; supply. 2) (provide with) equip or supply (someone) with. 3) (provide for) make adequate preparation or arrangements for. 4) stipulate in a will or other legal document. DERIVATIVES provider …   English terms dictionary

  • provide — I (arrange for) verb anticipate needs, appoint, care for, consulere, contract, direct, engage, get ready, look after, make allowance for, make preparations, make provision, make ready, manage, organize, pave the way, plan, prepare, providere,… …   Law dictionary

  • provide — [v1] supply, support accommodate, add, administer, afford, arrange, bestow, bring, care, cater, contribute, dispense, equip, favor, feather*, feed, fit, fit out, fix up, fix up with, furnish, give, grant, hand over, heel*, impart, implement,… …   New thesaurus

  • provide — (v.) early 15c., from L. providere look ahead, prepare, supply, from pro ahead (see PRO (Cf. pro )) + videre to see (see VISION (Cf. vision)). Related: Provided; providing …   Etymology dictionary

  • provide — [prə vīd′, prōvīd′] vt. provided, providing [ME providen < L providere < pro , PRO 2 + videre, to see: see VISION] 1. Now Rare to get ready beforehand 2. to make available; supply 3. to supply (someone) with something …   English World dictionary

  • provide — pro|vide W1S1 [prəˈvaıd] v [T] [Date: 1400 1500; : Latin; Origin: providere to see ahead, provide , from videre to see ] 1.) to give something to someone or make it available to them, because they need it or want it →↑provision ▪ Tea and biscuits …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • provide */*/*/ — UK [prəˈvaɪd] / US verb Word forms provide : present tense I/you/we/they provide he/she/it provides present participle providing past tense provided past participle provided Get it right: provide: When provide means to give someone something they …   English dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”