provide

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled providin

US /pɹəˈvaɪd/ See IPA manual

Freq #2562

Meanings

1

verb
To give someone something they need or want, especially support or food.

The hotel provides lunch for all its guests.
2

verb
To give a place or thing something useful or necessary.

They provided the classroom with new computers.
3

verb
To earn enough money to support your family.

He works two jobs to provide for his children.
4

verb
To state in a contract or law what must happen in certain situations.

The contract provides that the work must be finished by June.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to give someone something... supply

2 verb · to give a place or thing... supply

Word family

Forms providesunprovided

Derived forms disprovideforeprovideimprovidedmisprovidenonprovidedpreprovideprovidableprovideeproviderreprovideunderprovideunderprovided

Related forms provision

Appears in

Phrases (8)

See all

provide information
to supply details or facts to someone

Verb + noun
provide a service
to supply or perform a service for customers or users

Verb + noun
provide an answer
to supply a response or explanation, especially formally

Verb + noun
provide care
to give medical or personal support to someone who needs it

Verb + noun
provide evidence
to supply evidence in support of a claim or argument

Verb + noun
provide security
to offer protection or a sense of safety

Verb + noun

Simplified etymology

Provide entered English in late Middle English and ultimately belongs to the Latin family of videre “to see.” It is therefore related historically to vision, revise, visit, and visual.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English providen, from Latin prōvidēre (“to foresee, act with foresight”). Doublet of purvey.

*per- Proto-Indo-European providen Middle English prōvideō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# provide

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /pɹəˈvaɪd/
**Frequency rank:** 2562

## Meanings
1. To give someone something they need or want, especially support or food.
2. To give a place or thing something useful or necessary.
3. To earn enough money to support your family.
4. To state in a contract or law what must happen in certain situations.

## Examples
- The hotel provides lunch for all its guests.
- They provided the classroom with new computers.
- He works two jobs to provide for his children.
- The contract provides that the work must be finished by June.

## Derived Forms
- disprovide
- foreprovide
- improvided
- misprovide
- nonprovided
- preprovide
- providable
- providee
- provider
- reprovide
- underprovide
- underprovided

## Related Forms
- provision

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *per-
- Root: providen
- Root: prōvideō

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English providen, from Latin prōvidēre (“to foresee, act with foresight”). Doublet of purvey.

## AI Etymology
Provide is inherited from Middle English providen, from Latin prōvidēre (“to foresee, act with foresight”). Doublet of purvey. The historical chain includes *per- (Proto-Indo-European), providen (Middle English), prōvideō (Latin). In present-day English it covers to give someone something they need or want, especially support or food, to give a place or thing something useful or necessary, and to earn enough money to support your family. The wider family includes derived forms such as disprovide, foreprovide, improvided, misprovide, nonprovided and related forms such as provision.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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