provide
    v 1: give something useful or necessary to; "We provided the
         room with an electrical heater" [syn: supply, provide,
         render, furnish]
    2: give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or
       sustenance; "The hostess provided lunch for all the guests"
       [syn: provide, supply, ply, cater]
    3: 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"
    4: mount or put up; "put up a good fight"; "offer resistance"
       [syn: put up, provide, offer]
    5: 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 for lots of leeway" [syn: leave,
       allow for, allow, provide]
    6: 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" [syn: provide, bring home the bacon]
    7: take measures in preparation for; "provide for the proper
       care of the passengers on the cruise ship"

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 make ready for future use; to prepare.
      "Provide us all things necessary." --Shak.
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   2. To supply; to afford; to contribute.
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            Bring me berries, or such cooling fruit
            As the kind, hospitable woods provide. --Milton.
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   3. 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.
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   4. To establish as a previous condition; to stipulate; as,
      the contract provides that the work be well done.
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   5. To foresee.

   Note: [A Latinism] [Obs.] --B. Jonson.
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   6. To appoint to an ecclesiastical benefice before it is
      vacant. See Provisor. --Prescott.
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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 weather; to provide for the education of a child.
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            Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to
            provide for human wants.              --Burke.
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   2. To stipulate previously; to condition; as, the agreement
      provides for an early completion of the work.
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