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provide

v.
US //pɹəˈvaɪd// UK //pɹəvˈaɪd// pro·vide
  1. 1 to supply or give (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to give someone something they need, like food, money, or information.

    to furnish or supply something required or desired. Transitive; often takes a direct object or follows the pattern 'provide someone with something'.

    Example

    The school provides all the books and pens for the students.

    Example

    The local charity provides hot meals and temporary shelter for those displaced by the recent flooding.

    Usage

    Commonly used with the prepositions 'with' (for the recipient) or 'for' (for the beneficiary).
    Pitfall
    The hotel provides to us towels.
    The hotel provides us with towels.

    You provide someone WITH something, or provide something FOR someone. Do not use 'provide to someone'.

  2. 2 to make possible (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to make it possible for something to happen.

    to yield or afford an opportunity or result; to make a particular outcome attainable.

    Example

    The new park provides a great space for children to play safely.

    Example

    The internship provides a unique opportunity for graduates to gain hands-on experience in the competitive fashion industry.
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  1. 3 to support a family (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to earn enough money to pay for the things your family needs.

    to earn a livelihood or provide the means of subsistence for oneself or one's dependents.

    Example

    He worked two jobs to provide for his three children.

    Example

    After the factory closed, many families struggled to provide for their basic needs without a steady income.

    Usage

    Usually used intransitively with the preposition 'for'.
  2. 4 to state a rule (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    to state a rule or condition in a legal document.

    to establish as a condition or requirement within a legal or formal framework; to stipulate.

    Example

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

    Example

    The treaty provides that all signatory nations must reduce their carbon emissions by twenty percent over the next decade.

    Usage

    Often followed by a 'that' clause in formal or legal writing.
Origin

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

Word family

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