provide

provide — verb

1. to give people the things they need, such as food, money, information, or servic

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to give people the things they need, such as food, money, information, or services

例句

The local food bank provides fresh vegetables to families in need every Saturday.

provide + something + to + someone

The university provided Abigail with a scholarship to cover her tuition fees.

provide + someone + with + something

同義詞
  • supply

    more neutral and often used for physical goods or equipment; 'supply' can suggest a continuous flow rather than a single act

  • offer

    implies opportunity rather than need; you can offer something the other person may refuse, but provide suggests filling a need

  • give

    more general and less formal; 'give' does not carry the same implication of meeting a deliberate need or requirement

  • furnish

    slightly more formal, often used for equipping a space or supplying official documents

反義詞
  • withhold

    to deliberately refuse to give something that is needed or expected

  • deprive

    to take something away or prevent someone from having it

文法句型

provide + something

provide + someone + with + something

provide + something + for + someone

用法筆記

Common structure is 'provide someone with something' (e.g., provide students with books). In American English, 'provide someone something' without 'with' is also used, though less common in formal writing.

常見錯誤

❌The company provided them new computers.
✅The company provided them with new computers.
💡In standard English, a direct person-object needs 'with' before the thing given.
❌Can you provide me some water?
✅Can you provide me with some water?
💡Same rule: use 'with' after the person receiving.

2. (of a law, rule, contract, or official document) to state that a particular thin

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

(of a law, rule, contract, or official document) to state that a particular thing must be done or is required under specific conditions

例句

The lease agreement provides that the tenant must pay a deposit of two months' rent.

provide + that-clause for legal/contractual conditions

Taiwan's traffic laws provide that all drivers must stop at red lights.

passive law context with provide + that-clause

同義詞
  • stipulate

    more specific and formal; 'stipulate' is used mainly in contracts and legal documents for precise conditions

  • specify

    focuses on giving detailed information; broader in use than 'provide' in this sense

  • state

    more general; 'state' can apply to any kind of communication, not just legal documents

  • require

    emphasises the obligation or necessity created by the rule, rather than the act of stating it

文法句型

provide + that-clause

用法筆記

Only used in formal, legal, or official contexts. The subject is always a document, law, rule, or agreement — never a person. Commonly found in contracts, legislation, official policies, and wills.

常見錯誤

❌My boss provided that I should finish the report by Friday.
✅My boss said that I should finish the report by Friday.
💡Only laws, rules, and official documents 'provide that'; people use other verbs.
❌The law provides that all cars needs inspection.
✅The law provides that all cars need inspection.
💡The that-clause uses the subjunctive or simple present, not third-person -s.