ENGLISH
REFERENCE

supply

v. · n.
US //səˈpɫaɪ// sup·ply
  1. 1 to provide (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to give or sell something to someone who needs it.

    to provide or make something available for use, typically on a large scale or over a period of time.

    Example

    The local farm supplies the supermarket with fresh vegetables every morning.

    Example

    The regional utility company supplies electricity to over two million households across the province.

    Usage

    Commonly used with the preposition 'with' for the recipient or 'to' for the item.
    Pitfall
    The company supplies to us the parts.
    The company supplies us with the parts.

    Use the pattern 'supply someone with something' or 'supply something to someone'.

  2. 2 available amount (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    an amount of something that is ready to be used.

    a quantity of something provided or available for use.

    Example

    We have a large supply of water in the basement in case of an emergency.

    Example

    The sudden increase in demand exhausted the existing supply of timber, causing prices to spike across the construction industry.
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  1. 3 economics (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Math

    the amount of a product that is available for people to buy.

    the total amount of a specific good or service that is available to consumers at a particular price.

    Example

    The price of gold changes based on supply and demand.

    Example

    Economists argue that when supply exceeds demand, market prices inevitably drop to encourage further consumption.
  2. 4 equipment/provisions (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the tools, food, or other things you need for a specific task or trip.

    necessary items or provisions required for a specific purpose, often used in the plural.

    Example

    The children bought their school supplies, including pens and notebooks, before the first day.

    Example

    The expedition team spent weeks gathering medical supplies and non-perishable food for the journey across the desert.
  3. 5 substitute teacher (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English

    a teacher who works for a short time when the regular teacher is away.

    a person, especially a teacher, who acts as a temporary substitute for another.

    Example

    Our regular maths teacher is sick, so we have a supply teacher today.

    Example

    The school relies heavily on supply staff during the winter months when seasonal illnesses are more common.
Etymology 1

From Middle English supplien, borrowed from Old French soupleer, souploier, from Latin suppleo (“to fill up, make full, complete, supply”). The Middle English spelling was modified to conform to Latin etymology.

Etymology 2

From supple + -ly.

Word family

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