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Provision vs Contingency - What's the difference?

provision | contingency | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between provision and contingency

is that provision is an item of goods or supplies, especially food, obtained for future use while contingency is the quality of being contingent, of happening by chance; unpredictability.

As a verb provision

is to supply with provisions.

provision

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An item of goods or supplies, especially food, obtained for future use.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • making provision for the relief of strangers
  • * Milton
  • And of provisions laid in large, / For man and beast.
  • The act of providing, or making previous preparation.
  • (Shakespeare)
  • Money set aside for a future event.
  • (accounting) A liability or contra account to recognise likely future adverse events associated with current transactions.
  • We increased our provision for bad debts on credit sales going into the recession.
  • (legal) A clause in a legal instrument, a law, etc., providing for a particular matter; stipulation; proviso.
  • An arrest shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
  • (Roman Catholic) Regular induction into a benefice, comprehending nomination, collation, and installation.
  • (UK, historical) A nomination by the pope to a benefice before it became vacant, depriving the patron of his right of presentation.
  • (Blackstone)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To supply with provisions.
  • Synonyms

    * supply * victual

    contingency

    Noun

  • (uncountable) The quality of being contingent, of happening by chance; unpredictability.
  • (countable) A possibility; something which may or may not happen. A chance occurrence, especially in finance, unexpected expenses.
  • (countable) An amount of money which a party to a contract has to pay to the other party (usually the supplier of a major project to the client) if he or she does not fulfill the contract according to the specification.
  • (logic, countable) A statement which is neither a tautology nor a contradiction.
  • Synonyms

    * (quality of happening by chance) possibility * See also

    Antonyms

    * (quality of happening by chance) inevitability, impossibility

    Coordinate terms

    * (statement which is neither a tautology nor a contradiction) contradiction, tautology

    Derived terms

    * contingency plan