- to put at the disposal of; furnish or supply
- to afford; yield: this meeting provides an opportunity to talk
- (intransitive; often followed by for or against) to take careful precautions (over): she provided against financial ruin by wise investment
- (intransitive) followed by for: to supply means of support (to), esp financially: to provide for one's family
- to confer and induct into ecclesiastical offices
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pro•vid•ed /prəˈvaɪdɪd/USA pronunciation
conj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- on the condition or understanding (that);
if;
as long as;
providing:She'll talk to you provided you listen.
pro•vid•ed
(prə vī′did),USA pronunciation conj.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- Pronounson the condition or understanding (that);
providing:I'll go provided that the others go, too.
- late Middle English. See provide, -ed2 1375–1425
- in case, granted. See if.
- lest.
- The conjunctions provided and providing are interchangeable. Both mean "on the condition or understanding that,'' with that sometimes expressed:Provided (or Providing) no further objections are raised, we will consider the matter settled.
pro•vide /prəˈvaɪd/USA pronunciation
v., -vid•ed, -vid•ing.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- to make available;
furnish: [~ + object + for + object]to provide benefits for employees.[~ + object (+ with) + object]to provide employees (with) benefits. - to supply or equip: [~ + object + with + object]to provide the army with tanks.[~ + object + for + object]to provide tanks for the army.
- to supply means of support:[~ + for + object]They worked hard to provide for their children.
- to yield:[~ + object]This tree provides shelter.
- Law to stipulate, as by a provision:[~ + that clause]The contract provides that the writer will receive an additional payment if his book is made into a movie.
- to take measures in preparation for something:[no object]You must provide for winter in this harsh climate.
pro•vid•ing /prəˈvaɪdɪŋ/USA pronunciation conj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- provided:You can stay, providing you help.
pro•vide
(prə vīd′),USA pronunciation v., -vid•ed, -vid•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
pro•vid′a•ble, adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026v.t.
- to make available;
furnish:to provide employees with various benefits. - to supply or equip:to provide the army with new fighter planes.
- to afford or yield.
- Lawto arrange for or stipulate beforehand, as by a provision or proviso.
- [Archaic.]to prepare or procure beforehand.
v.i.
- to take measures with due foresight (usually fol. by for or against).
- to make arrangements for supplying means of support, money, etc. (usually fol. by for):He provided for his children in his will.
- to supply means of support (often fol. by for):to provide for oneself.
- Latin prōvidēre to foresee, look after, provide for, equivalent. to prō- pro-1 + vidēre to see
- late Middle English providen 1375–1425
- 1. give, render. 3. produce.
pro•vid•ing
(prə vī′ding),USA pronunciation conj.
- Pronounson the condition or understanding (that);
provided:He can stay here providing he works.
- late Middle English provydyng. See provide, -ing2 1375–1425
- See if.
- See provided.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
provide /prəˈvaɪd/ vb (mainly tr)
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
providing /prəˈvaɪdɪŋ/, provided conj
- (subordinating) sometimes followed by that: on the condition or understanding (that): I'll play, providing you pay me
'provided' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
acting
- additionality
- address bar
- anchor
- assisted dying
- atomic bomb
- Australian Rules
- board
- boardinghouse
- booster dose
- bounty
- Brownian movement
- canteen
- carousel
- cashback
- catering
- channel
- chanter
- childcare
- Cinque Ports
- click through
- cloistered
- community home
- condition
- council
- coverage
- crèche
- daycare
- equipment
- escape road
- Evans
- figured
- fipple flute
- fixed
- flexitime
- found
- 4G
- free
- free association
- freebie
- fringe benefit
- frontrunning
- furred
- fusion bomb
- garden
- glide time
- google-bombing
- grant
- grubstake
- hajj