noun
provender
PRAH-vun-der/ˈprɑvəndər/
Food, especially dry feed for livestock.
Hay and oats provide provender for the horse at the manger.
Etymology
Praebenda meant an allowance or means of subsistence, and provender first referred to an allowance for a cathedral chapter member. Its meaning shifted to food supplies, especially feed for domesticated animals.
In context
an unruly horse must be abated of its provender, that he may be the better managed, showing her regret for the extreme pampering
More examples
- We load sacks of provender onto the truck.
- The horses have enough provender to last through the storm.
- Bread and cheese make simple provender for our journey.
Similar words
- feed
- The usual everyday term for food given to livestock.
- fodder
- Often emphasizes bulky livestock food, such as hay or straw.
- provisions
- Usually means food supplies for people, especially for a journey.