"provide" in the verb sense

1. supply, provide, render, furnish

give something useful or necessary to

"We provided the room with an electrical heater"

2. provide, supply, ply, cater

give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance

"The hostess provided lunch for all the guests"

3. provide

determine (what is to happen in certain contingencies), especially by including a proviso condition or stipulation

"The will provides that each child should receive half of the money"

"The Constitution provides for the right to free speech"

4. put up, provide, offer

mount or put up

"put up a good fight"

"offer resistance"

5. leave, allow for, allow, provide

make a possibility or provide opportunity for permit to be attainable or cause to remain

"This leaves no room for improvement"

"The evidence allows only one conclusion"

"allow for mistakes"

"leave lots of time for the trip"

"This procedure provides for lots of leeway"

6. provide, bring home the bacon

supply means of subsistence earn a living

"He provides for his large family by working three jobs"

"Women nowadays not only take care of the household but also bring home the bacon"

7. provide

take measures in preparation for

"provide for the proper care of the passengers on the cruise ship"

Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)

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