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supply . In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
supply , but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
supply in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
supply you have here. The definition of the word
supply will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
supply , as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English supplien , borrowed from Old French soupleer , souploier , from Latin suppleo ( “ to fill up, make full, complete, supply ” ) .
The Middle English spelling was modified to conform to Latin etymology.
Pronunciation
enPR : səplīʹ , IPA (key ) : /səˈplaɪ/
Rhymes: -aɪ
Hyphenation: sup‧ply
Verb
supply (third-person singular simple present supplies , present participle supplying , simple past and past participle supplied )
( transitive ) To provide (something), to make (something) available for use .
to supply money for the war
( transitive ) To furnish or equip with.
to supply a furnace with fuel; to supply soldiers with ammunition
( transitive ) To fill up, or keep full.
Rivers are supplied by smaller streams.
( transitive ) To compensate for, or make up a deficiency of.
1881 , Robert Louis Stevenson , Virginibus Puerisque :It was objected against him that he had never experienced love. Whereupon he arose, left the society, and made it a point not to return to it until he considered that he had supplied the defect.
( transitive ) To serve instead of; to take the place of.
1666 , Edmund Waller , Instructions to a Painter :Burning ships the banished sun supply .
1700 , [John] Dryden , “The Flower and the Leaf: Or, The Lady in the Arbour. A Vision. ”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; , London: Jacob Tonson , , →OCLC :The sun was set, and Vesper, to supply His absent beams, had lighted up the sky.
( intransitive ) To act as a substitute .
( transitive ) To fill temporarily; to serve as substitute for another in, as a vacant place or office; to occupy; to have possession of.
to supply a pulpit
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
to provide, make available for use
Arabic: زَوَّدَ ( zawwada )
Assamese: যোগোৱা ( zügüa ) , যোগান ধৰা ( zügan dhora )
Asturian: aprovir , abondar , suministrar , fornir
Belarusian: пастаўля́ць impf ( pastaŭljácʹ ) , паста́віць pf ( pastávicʹ )
Bulgarian: доста́вям (bg) impf ( dostávjam ) , доста́вя (bg) pf ( dostávja )
Catalan: fornir (ca) , subministrar (ca) , proveir (ca)
Cherokee: ᎠᏓᏁᏗ ( adanedi )
Chinese:
Cantonese: 供應 / 供应 ( gung1 jing3 ) , 提供 ( tai4 gung1 ) , 供給 / 供给 ( gung1 kap1 )
Hakka: 供應 / 供应 ( kiûng-yin ) , 提供 ( thì-kiûng ) , 供給 / 供给 ( kiûng-kip )
Hokkien: 供應 / 供应 ( kiong-èng ) , 提供 (zh-min-nan) ( thê-kiong ) , 供給 / 供给 (zh-min-nan) ( kiong-kip )
Mandarin: 提供 (zh) ( tígōng ) , 供應 / 供应 (zh) ( gōngyìng ) , 供給 / 供给 (zh) ( gōngjǐ )
Czech: poskytovat (cs) impf , poskytnout (cs) pf
Danish: levere , forsyne
Esperanto: provizi
Estonian: varustama
Finnish: toimittaa (fi) , hankkia (fi) , tarjota (fi) , rahoittaa (fi) ( supply money )
French: fournir (fr) , approvisionner (fr)
Galician: fornecer (gl) , abastecer (gl)
Georgian: შეტანა ( šeṭana ) , მომარაგება ( momarageba ) , მიწოდება ( mic̣odeba )
German: zur Verfügung stellen , bereitstellen (de) , liefern (de) , versorgen mit (de) ( to supply someone with something )
Greek: εφοδιάζω (el) ( efodiázo ) , προσφέρω (el) ( prosféro )
Ancient: παρέχω ( parékhō )
Hebrew: סִפֵּק (he) ( sipeq )
Hungarian: ellát (hu)
Italian: fornire (it)
Japanese: 供給する (ja) ( きょうきゅうする, kyōkyū suru )
Korean: 공급하다 (ko) ( gonggeuphada )
Malay: bekal (ms)
Maori: whakawhiwhi
Marathi: पुरवठा (mr) m ( puravṭhā )
Norwegian:
Bokmål: levere (no) , forsyne (no) , forse (no)
Occitan: fornir (oc) , provesir (oc)
Polish: zaopatrywać (pl) impf , zaopatrzyć (pl) pf
Portuguese: suprir (pt) , prover (pt) , fornecer (pt) , abastecer (pt)
Russian: снабжа́ть (ru) impf ( snabžátʹ ) , снабди́ть (ru) pf ( snabdítʹ ) , поставля́ть (ru) impf ( postavljátʹ ) , поста́вить (ru) pf ( postávitʹ )
Serbo-Croatian:
Roman: snàbdjeti (sh) , opskr̀biti (sh)
Slovak: poskytovať impf , poskytnúť pf
Spanish: proveer (es) , abastecer (es) , suministrar (es)
Swedish: förse (sv) , tillgodose (sv) , leverera (sv)
Telugu: అందించు (te) ( andiñcu )
Ukrainian: постача́ти impf ( postačáty ) , поста́чити pf ( postáčyty ) , доставля́ти impf ( dostavljáty ) , доста́вити pf ( dostávyty )
Yiddish: ליווערן ( livern )
to furnish or equip with
Asturian: aprovir , equipar , fornir
Bulgarian: снабдя́вам (bg) impf ( snabdjávam ) , снабдя́ pf ( snabdjá )
Catalan: proveir (ca) , equipar (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 供給 / 供给 (zh) ( gōngjǐ )
Danish: levere , skaffe , yde , forsyne
Finnish: toimittaa (fi) , varustaa (fi)
German: liefern (de) , ausrüsten (de)
Greek: προσφέρω (el) ( prosféro ) , εφοδιάζω (el) ( efodiázo )
Hungarian: felszerel (hu)
Italian: rifornire (it) , allestire (it)
Portuguese: suprir (pt) , prover (pt) , abastecer (pt)
Russian: снабжа́ть (ru) impf ( snabžátʹ ) , снабди́ть (ru) pf ( snabdítʹ ) , снаряжа́ть (ru) impf ( snarjažátʹ ) , снаряди́ть (ru) pf ( snarjadítʹ )
Serbo-Croatian:
Roman: snàbdjeti (sh) , opskr̀biti (sh)
Spanish: proveer (es) , equipar (es) , municionar (es)
Swedish: förse (sv)
Telugu: అందించు (te) ( andiñcu )
Ukrainian: доставля́ти impf ( dostavljáty ) , доста́вити pf ( dostávyty )
to compensate for, make up for a deficiency of
Bulgarian: попъ́лвам (bg) impf ( popǎ́lvam ) , попъ́лня (bg) pf ( popǎ́lnja )
Danish: afhjælpe , erstatte
Finnish: korvata (fi) , toimittaa (fi) , hyvittää (fi) , korjata (fi) ( e.g. puute ) , paikata (fi) ( e.g. maalivahti paikkasi )
German: liefern (de)
Greek: εφοδιάζω (el) ( efodiázo ) , αποπληρώνω (el) ( apopliróno ) , αποπληρώ ( apopliró )
Hungarian: pótol (hu)
Italian: supplire (it)
Japanese: 埋め合わせる (ja) ( うめあわせる, umeawaseru ) , 補填する (ja) ( ほてんする, hoten suru )
Portuguese: abastecer (pt)
Russian: пополня́ть (ru) impf ( popolnjátʹ ) , попо́лнить (ru) pf ( popólnitʹ )
Swedish: supplera (sv) , avhjälpa (sv) , gottgöra (sv)
Translations to be checked
Noun
supply (countable and uncountable , plural supplies )
( uncountable ) The act of supplying .
supply and demand
( countable ) An amount of something supplied .
A supply of good drinking water is essential.
She said, "China has always had a freshwater supply problem with 20 percent of the world’s population but only 7 percent of its freshwater".
( in the plural ) Provisions .
( chiefly in the plural ) An amount of money provided , as by Parliament or Congress , to meet the annual national expenditures .
to vote supplies
Somebody, such as a teacher or clergyman , who temporarily fills the place of another; a substitute .
Derived terms
Translations
act of supplying
Arabic: تَوْرِيد m ( tawrīd ) , تَزْوِيد m ( tazwīd ) , إِمْدَاد m ( ʔimdād )
Armenian: մատակարարում (hy) ( matakararum ) , առաջարկ (hy) ( aṙaǰark ) ( economics )
Belarusian: забеспячэ́нне n ( zabjespjačénnje ) , паста́ўка f ( pastáŭka )
Bengali: সরবরাহ (bn) ( śôrbôrahô )
Bulgarian: снабдя́ване (bg) n ( snabdjávane ) , доста́вка (bg) f ( dostávka ) , поста́вка (bg) f ( postávka )
Catalan: abastiment (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 供給 / 供给 (zh) ( gōngjǐ )
Czech: nabídka (cs) f
Danish: udbud n , udbud n
Dutch: levering (nl) f
Estonian: varustus
Finnish: toimitus (fi) , tarjonta (fi) ( supply and demand ~ kysyntä ja tarjonta ) , varustus (fi) , toimittaminen (fi) , varustaminen (fi)
French: approvisionnement (fr) , fourniture (fr) f
Galician: abastecemento (gl) , fornecemento (gl)
German: Versorgung (de) n , Angebot (de) n
Greek: προσφορά (el) f ( prosforá ) , προμήθεια (el) ( promítheia )
Hebrew: אַסְפָּקָה f ( aspaká )
Hungarian: ellátás (hu) , kínálat (hu) , szolgáltatás (hu)
Italian: approvvigionamento (it) m
Japanese: 供給 (ja) ( きょうきゅう, kyōkyū )
Korean: 공급(供給) (ko) ( gonggeup )
Macedonian: снабдување n ( snabduvanje )
Mongolian:
Cyrillic: нийлүүлэлт ( niilüülelt )
Mongolian: ᠨᠡᠶᠢᠯᠡᠭᠦᠯᠦᠯᠲᠡ ( neyilegülülte )
Norwegian:
Bokmål: forsyning m or f
Nynorsk: forsyning f
Portuguese: abastecimento (pt) m , suprimento (pt) m
Romanian: aprovizionare (ro) , alimentare (ro)
Russian: снабже́ние (ru) n ( snabžénije ) , поста́вка (ru) f ( postávka ) , предложе́ние (ru) n ( predložénije )
Spanish: oferta (es) f , abasto (es) m
Tagalog: katustusan
Ukrainian: постача́ння n ( postačánnja ) , поста́вка f ( postávka ) , забезпе́чення n ( zabezpéčennja )
amount supplied
Belarusian: запа́с m ( zapás )
Bengali: সরবরাহ (bn) ( śôrbôrahô )
Bulgarian: запа́с (bg) m ( zapás )
Catalan: provisions (ca) f pl , subministrament (ca) m
Czech: zásoba (cs) f
Danish: forsyning , leverance , lager (da) , forsynings- , føde-
Finnish: tarjonta (fi) ; saanti (fi) , saatavuus (fi)
Galician: bastimento (gl) m , subministración (gl) m , abastecemento (gl) m
German: Versorgung (de) f
Hungarian: készlet (hu) , ellátottság (hu)
Italian: fornitura (it) f
Japanese: 補給 (ja) ( ほきゅう, hokyū ) , 供給 (ja) ( きょうきゅう, kyōkyū )
Korean: 공급(供給) (ko) ( gonggeup )
Malay: bekalan (ms)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: forsyning m or f
Nynorsk: forsyning f
Portuguese: provisão (pt) f
Russian: запа́с (ru) m ( zapás )
Spanish: abasto (es) m , abastecimiento (es) m , suministro (es) m
Tagalog: panustos
Telugu: సరఫరా (te) ( sarapharā )
Turkish: arz (tr)
Ukrainian: запа́с m ( zapás )
provisions
Albanian: please add this translation if you can
Armenian: please add this translation if you can
Belarusian: прыпа́сы m pl ( prypásy )
Bengali: সরবরাহ (bn) ( śôrbôrahô )
Bulgarian: запа́с (bg) m ( zapás ) , припа́си (bg) m pl ( pripási )
Catalan: provisions (ca) f pl , vitualles (ca) f pl
Chinese:
Mandarin: please add this translation if you can
Danish: forråd n , beholdninger (da) n pl
Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
Estonian: please add this translation if you can
Finnish: eväät (fi) , muona (fi) , tarvikkeet (fi) , varusteet (fi) , varat (fi)
French: vivres (fr) m pl
Galician: provisións m
Georgian: please add this translation if you can
German: Vorrat (de) m
Gothic: 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌻𐌳 n ( andstald )
Greek: προμήθεια (el) ( promítheia )
Hungarian: ellátmány (hu)
Irish: lón m
Italian: approvvigionamenti (it) m pl
Japanese: 支給 (ja) ( しきゅう, shikyū ) , 配給 (ja) ( はいきゅう, haikyū )
Latin: cōpia (la) f
Latvian: please add this translation if you can
Lithuanian: please add this translation if you can
Ngazidja Comorian: zio class 8
Polish: artykuł pierwszej potrzeby (pl) m
Portuguese: provisões (pt) f pl
Romanian: provizie (ro) , rezervă (ro)
Russian: припа́сы pl ( pripásy )
Slovak: please add this translation if you can
Spanish: útil (es) , provisiones (es) f pl
Turkish: please add this translation if you can
Ukrainian: припа́си m pl ( prypásy )
amount of money provided to meet the annual national expenditures
somebody, who temporarily fills the place of another
Translations to be checked
Etymology 2
supple + -ly
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
enPR : sŭpʹlē , IPA (key ) : /ˈsʌp.li/
Audio (Southern England) (file )
Hyphenation: sup‧ply
Adverb
supply (comparative more supply , superlative most supply )
Supplely : in a supple manner, with suppleness .
1906 , Ford Madox Ford, The fifth queen: and how she came to court , page 68 :His voice was playful and full; his back was bent supply .
1938 , David Leslie Murray, Commander of the mists :[ …] the rain struck on her head as she bent supply to the movements of the pony, while it scrambled up the bank to the sheltering trees. For a couple of miles the path ran through woods alive with the varied voices of the rain, [ …]
1963 , Johanna Moosdorf, Next door :She swayed slightly in the gusts, bent supply to them and seemed at one with the force which Straup found so hostile.
1988 , Михаи́л Алекса́ндрович Шо́лохов (Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov), Quiet flows the Don (translated), volume 1, page 96:
Grigory hesitantly took her in his arms to kiss her, but she held him off, bent supply backwards and shot a frightened glance at the windows. 'They'll see!' 'Let them!' 'I'd be ashamed—'
Further reading
“supply ”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary , Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam , 1913 , →OCLC .
“supply ”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co. , 1911 , →OCLC .
“supply ”, in OneLook Dictionary Search .