An item of goods or supplies, especially food, obtained for future use.
[H]e hath preſerued all points of Humanity, in taking Order, and making Proviſion for the Releefe of Strangers diſtreſſed; whereof you have taſted.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, page 17:
[Noah] Began to build a Veſſel of huge bulk, / Meaſur'd by Cubit, length, and breadth, and highth, / Smeared round with Pitch, and in the ſide a dore, / Contriv'd, and of proviſions laid in large / For Man and Beaſt: [...]1674, John Milton, “Book XI”, in Paradise Lost. […], 2nd edition, London: […] S[amuel] Simmons […], →OCLC, page 307:
1 more example
We have an infirm ſhip's company, and but five months proviſion, which muſt ſerve us to China unleſs we get a ſupply at Guam.1728 [1721 March 17], William Betagh, A Voyage Round the World. Being an Account of a Remarkable Enterprize, Begun In the Year 1719, chiefly to cruiſe on the Spaniards in the great South Ocean. Relating the True hiſtorical Facts of that whole Affair: Teſtifyd by many imployd therein; and confirmd by Authorities from the Owners., London: T. Combes, →OCLC, page 151:
2
The act of providing, or making previous preparation.
Fiue dayes we do allot thee for prouision, To shield thee from disasters of the world,c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
3
Money set aside for a future event.
And as congressional Republicans were passing a very unpopular Trump agenda bill last month, Vice President JD Vance argued that its historic expansion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and new immigration enforcement provisions were so important that “everything else” was “immaterial.”2025 July 13, Aaron Blake, “Trump’s mass deportation is backfiring”, in CNN:
4
Accounting, Business, Finance A liability or contra account to recognise likely future adverse events associated with current transactions.
We increased our provision for bad debts on credit sales going into the recession.
5
Law A clause in a legal instrument, a law, etc., providing for a particular matter; stipulation; proviso.
An arrest shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
Almost half of MEPs wanted to remove the new provisions' to expand the use of megatrucks but an amendment to do that failed to pass by just six votes.2024 March 12, ETSC, ETSC:
UK, Historical A nomination by the pope to a benefice before it became vacant, depriving the patron of his right of presentation.
a papal provision1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:
Etymology From Middle English provisioun, from Old French provisïon, from Latin prōvīsiō (“preparation, foresight”), from prōvidēre (“provide”).
1
To supply with provisions.
to provision an army
We had soon touched land in the same place as before and set to provision the blockhouse. All three made the first journey, heavily laden, and tossed our stores over the palisade.1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
1 more example
An emancipated slave must be provisioned by the master.2001, David L. Lieber, Jules Harlow, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, page 85:
2
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To supply (a user) with an account, resources, etc. so that they can use a system; to install the necessary software on a bare-bones system so it can be used for a specific purpose.
A solution is to provision new systems on a private network where they can receive updates, patches, and secure configurations from an internal repository before being placed into a production network.2023, Kenneth Hess, Practical Linux System Administration, O'Reilly, →ISBN: