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Buy vs Provide - What's the difference?

buy | provide |

As verbs the difference between buy and provide

is that buy is to obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods while provide is to make a living; earn money for necessities.

As a noun buy

is something which is bought; a purchase.

buy

English

Verb

  • To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods
  • * Benjamin Franklin
  • Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou wilt sell thy necessaries.
  • To obtain by some sacrifice.
  • * Bible, Proverbs xxiii. 23
  • Buy the truth and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
  • To bribe.
  • To be equivalent to in value.
  • (informal) to accept as true; to believe
  • To make a purchase or purchases, to treat (for a meal)
  • (poker slang) To make a bluff, usually a large one.
  • Synonyms

    * purchase * (accept as true) accept, believe, swallow (informal), take on * make a buy

    Antonyms

    * sell, vend * (accept as true) disbelieve, reject, pitch

    Derived terms

    * bring-and-buy * buyable * buyer * buy back * buy into * buy it * buy to let * buy off * buy out * buy someone off * buy someone out * buy straw hats in winter * buy the farm * buy time * buy up * can I buy you a drink * impulse buy * money can't buy happiness * outbuy * rebuy

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Something which is bought; a purchase.
  • Antonyms

    * sale

    Derived terms

    * buydown * buyout * impulse buy

    provide

    English

    Verb

    (provid)
  • To make a living; earn money for necessities.
  • It is difficult to provide for my family working on minimum wage.
  • To act to prepare for something.
  • To establish as a previous condition; to stipulate.
  • The contract provides that the work be well done.
    I'll lend you the money, provided that you pay it back by Monday.
  • To give what is needed or desired, especially basic needs.
  • Don't bother bringing equipment, as we will provide it.
    We aim to provide the local community with more green spaces.
  • To furnish (with), cause to be present.
  • * Arbuthnot
  • Rome was well provided with corn.
  • To make possible or attainable.
  • He provides us with an alternative option.
  • * Milton
  • Bring me berries, or such cooling fruit / As the kind, hospitable woods provide .
  • (obsolete, Latinism) To foresee.
  • (Ben Jonson)
  • To appoint to an ecclesiastical benefice before it is vacant. See provisor .
  • (Prescott)

    Derived terms

    * provider

    Statistics

    * 1000 English basic words ----