From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrationra‧tion1 /ˈræʃən $ ˈræ-, ˈreɪ-/ ●○○ noun 1 [countable, uncountable]AMOUNT a fixed amount of something that people are allowed to have when there is not enough, for example during a warfood/clothes/meat etc ration the weekly meat ration a coal ration of 4 kg a monthon ration Even wool was on ration in the war.2 → rations3 FAIR[singular] an amount of something that you think is reasonable or normalration of holidaymakers who like a generous ration of open-air activity
Examples from the Corpus
ration• No one seemed to have told them about ration books.• No one had sleeping gear, or even a decent selection of C rations.• In the army we received a daily ration of meat.• The situation improved, but regular food rations were still barely sufficient to sustain a healthy life.• Both soil augers have snapped and I fought with Greg over the food rations.• Iron rations were issued for the train or bus journey.• The party gave the three some guns and offered them their equal share of the remaining rations.• At a stroke we were on firm discipline and short rations.• An animal with a good diet will be larger than its twin on starvation rations.food/clothes/meat etc ration• The average meat ration was five ounces per week per person, including buffalo bones.• All the crews have been warned to carry emergency food rations.• Because of clothes rationing, fashion was abandoned but vanity not totally so.• The United Nations has reported tightening of food rations already in the country.• As food stocks have declined, so has the official food ration, the United Nations says.• The situation improved, but regular food rations were still barely sufficient to sustain a healthy life.• Both soil augers have snapped and I fought with Greg over the food rations.• When the food rations arrive, women have to walk and then to wait again.rationration2 verb [transitive] 1 CONTROLto control the supply of something because there is not enough Fuel was rationed during the war.Grammar Ration is usually passive in this meaning.2 LOT/LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNTto allow someone only a small amount of something the need to ration health care resources diets which ration fatration somebody/something to something He rationed himself to 4 cigarettes a day. I try to ration the children’s television viewing to an hour a day.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
ration• Sugar, cooking oil and rice will also be rationed.• It is a mode of rationing.• In one of my close acquaintances at B.P., rationing and shortages seemed to effect an eccentric metamorphosis.• Cigarettes were rationed at thirty-five a week.• Petrol was so strictly rationed in wartime that bikes were always in demand.• At least we don't have to bother with milk rationing like they do in the towns.• But times had changed since 1898; wartime regulations had rationed liquor purchases to one bottle per month per customer.• Fuel rationing started and I canceled my trip.• By the time I'd recovered I was skinnier than ever, having been rationed to an orange a day.From Longman Business Dictionaryrationra‧tion1 /ˈræʃənˈræ-, ˈreɪ-/ noun [countable] a fixed amount of something such as food or petrol that you are allowed to have when there is not much availableFood is in short supply and the country has apparently tightened rations (=made less available to each person).rationration2 verb [transitive]1to control the supply of something such as food or petrol by allowing people to have only a fixed amount of itCuba has rationed food for four decades, largely because of the U.S. embargo.2to allow someone to have only a small amount of something, or less than they would like, because there is not enoughThe company rationed people to 200 new shares each. → ration something → out→ See Verb tableOrigin ration1 (1700-1800) French Latin ratio; → RATIO 