provisions
/prəˈvɪʒ.ənz/ IELTSAcademic
noun
- 1.
Provisions are supplies of food and other things needed for a journey, trip, or emergency. They can also mean items or resources set aside for use.
- We packed enough provisions for the hike.
- The ship carried provisions for two weeks.
- Keep emergency provisions at home.
- 2.
In legal or formal writing, provisions are conditions or rules in a law, agreement, or document.
- The contract includes several provisions.
- There is a provision about late payment.
- The new law has strict provisions.
Adinary Nuance
Provisions is broader than supplies when you mean things kept for future use, especially food or emergency items. It is more formal than stock in everyday speech, and in law it means rules or clauses, not goods. So the meaning depends on context: travel, survival, or legal writing.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- tiếp tế
- Spanish
- provisiones
- Chinese
- 补给
- Japanese
- 備品
- Korean
- 보급품
Etymology
Provisions comes from Old French provision, from Latin provisio, meaning 'foresight' or 'a seeing ahead'. English began using it in the late Middle Ages.
Common phrases
food provisionsemergency provisionsmake provisions forthe provisions of a contract
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is provisions singular or plural?
- It is usually plural when it means supplies. The singular form, provision, is often used for one rule or one arrangement.
- What is the difference between provisions and supplies?
- Supplies is the more general everyday word. Provisions often suggests planned food, emergency items, or formal legal clauses.
- Can provisions be used in legal writing?
- Yes. In legal and business writing, provisions means rules, conditions, or clauses in a document.
- Is provisions common in spoken English?
- It is used, but it sounds a little formal. People often say supplies, food, or items in casual speech.