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Distribute vs Provide - What's the difference?

distribute | provide |

As verbs the difference between distribute and provide

is that distribute is (to divide into portions and dispense) To divide into portions and dispense while provide is to make a living; earn money for necessities.

distribute

English

Verb

(distribut)
  • (senseid)To divide into portions and dispense.
  • He distributed the bread amongst his followers.
  • (senseid)To supply to retail outlets.
  • The agency distributes newspapers to local shops.
  • (senseid)To deliver or pass out.
  • A network of children distributes flyers to every house.
  • (senseid)To scatter or spread.
  • I raked the soil then distributed grass seed.
  • (senseid)To apportion (more or less evenly).
  • The robot's six legs distributed its weight over a wide area.
  • (senseid)To classify or separate into categories.
  • The database distributed verbs into transitive and intransitive segments.
  • (senseid)(mathematics) To be distributive.
  • (printing) To separate (type which has been used) and return it to the proper boxes in the cases.
  • (printing) To spread (ink) evenly, as upon a roller or a table.
  • (logic) To employ (a term) in its whole extent; to take as universal in one premise.
  • * Whately
  • A term is said to be distributed when it is taken universal, so as to stand for everything it is capable of being applied to.

    Derived terms

    * distributable * distribution * distributionism * distributism * distributivism * distributivity * distributor

    Statistics

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    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 ----