provision

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The act of supplying or fitting out.
2. n. Something provided.
3. n. A preparatory action or measure.
4. n. A stock of necessary supplies, especially food.
5. n. A stipulation or qualification, especially a clause in a document or agreement.
6. v. To supply with provisions.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Foreseeing; foresight.
2. n. The act of providing, or making previous preparation.
3. n. A measure taken beforehand; something arranged or prepared in advance; a preparation; provident care.
4. n. Accumulation of stores or materials beforehand; a store or stock provided.
5. n. Specifically, a stock of food provided; hence, victuals; food; provender: usually in the plural.
6. n. In law, a stipulation; a rule provided; a distinct clause in an instrument or statute; a rule or principle to be referred to for guidance: as, the provisions of law; the provisions of the constitution. It is sometimes used of unwritten as well as of written laws and constitutions.
7. n. plural Certain early or medieval English statutes. See phrases below.
8. n. In eccles, law, promotion to office by an ecclesiastical superior; especially, appointment by the Pope to a see or benefice in advance of the next vacancy, setting aside the regular patron's right of nomination. Canonical provision consists of designation, collation or institution, and installation. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries the Pope made frequent provisions to bishoprics and livings in England, but these acts were strenuously resisted. See Statute of Provisors, under provisor.
9. To provide with things necessary; especially, to supply with a store of food.

Wiktionary

1. n. An item of goods or supplies obtained for future use.
2. n. Money set aside for a future event.
3. n. accounting A liability or contra account to recognise likely future adverse events associated with current transactions.
4. n. law A clause in a legal instrument, a law, etc., providing for a particular matter; stipulation; proviso.
5. v. To supply with provisions.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of providing, or making previous preparation.
2. n. That which is provided or prepared; that which is brought together or arranged in advance; measures taken beforehand; preparation.
3. n. Especially, a stock of food; any kind of eatables collected or stored; -- often in the plural.
4. n. That which is stipulated in advance; a condition; a previous agreement; a proviso
5. n. (R. C. Ch.) A canonical term for regular induction into a benefice, comprehending nomination, collation, and installation.
6. n. (Eng. Hist.) A nomination by the pope to a benefice before it became vacant, depriving the patron of his right of presentation.
7. v. To supply with food; to victual.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a stipulated condition
2. v. supply with provisions
3. n. a store or supply of something (especially of food or clothing or arms)
4. n. the cognitive process of thinking about what you will do in the event of something happening
5. n. the activity of supplying or providing something