Word family noun provider provision provisions adjective provisional verb provide provision adverb provisionally
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishprovidepro‧vide /prəˈvaɪd/ ●●● S1 W1 verb [transitive] 1 PROVIDEto give something to someone or make it available to them, because they need it or want it → provision Tea and biscuits will be provided.provide something for somebody The hotel provides a shoe-cleaning service for guests.provide somebody with something The project is designed to provide young people with work.2 REASONto produce something useful as a result We are hoping the enquiry will provide an explanation for the accident.provide somebody with something The search provided the police with several vital clues.3 → provide thatGRAMMAR: Patterns with provide• You provide something for someone: We provide information for parents.• You provide someone with something: We provide parents with information. ✗Don’t say: We provide parents information. → provide against something → provide for somebody/something→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
provide• Liz's painful story provides a clear example of the dangers of drug abuse.• His despairing tackle merely provided an easy far-post chance for Artak Minasyan.• Yet a link was sometimes provided by music, where the cathedral organist was involved with diocesan music festivals and other events.• Your bank should be able to provide financial advice.• Petrographic descriptions have been provided for core plugs from five wells.• Free parking is provided for hotel guests.• He told the rancher he wanted a place where he could develop as an artist, and Shipp provided it.• The university should provide more facilities for disabled students.• Most of these ideas are ill-founded, some are downright harmful, and a few actually provide some relief.• The Labour party believes in service and in spending money wisely on providing that service.• Game theory provides the appropriate vehicle of study.• The money will be used to provide the school with new computer equipment.• Unfortunately, public affairs do not provide this degree of predetermination and control.provide somebody with something• Even a cigarette butt could provide investigators with clues about what happened.• Someone had provided the reporters with photographs.From Longman Business Dictionaryprovidepro‧vide /prəˈvaɪd/ verb [transitive]1to give someone what they need, or to make sure they get itThe World Bank is providing funding for the project.provide somebody with somethingOur computerised information service can provide busy managers with all the information they need.The deal will provide Rolls-Royce with work for the next five years.provide something for/to somebodyThe agreement provided guarantees for union members when layoffs are considered.2to produce a useful result, opportunity etcWe are hoping the enquiry will provide an explanation for the accident.3provide that formalLAW if a law or rule provides that something must happen, it states that it must happenThe Companies Act provides that the consent of shareholders is required for the sale of assets valued at £100,000 or more to a director of the company. → provide against something → provide for somebody/something→ See Verb tableOrigin provide (1400-1500) Latin providere “to see ahead, provide”, from videre “to see” 