plural supplies
1
a
: the quantity or amount (as of a commodity) needed or available
Beer was in short supply in that hot weather …—Nevil Shute
b
: provisions, stores
—usually plural
c
: a member of the clergy filling a vacant pulpit temporarily
d
obsolete
: reinforcements
—often plural
2
: the act or process of filling a want or need
engaged in the supply of raw materials to industry
3
: the quantities of goods or services offered for sale at a particular time or at one price
4
: something that maintains or constitutes a supply
5
obsolete
: assistance, succor
supplied; supplying
1
a
: to make available for use : provide
supplied the necessary funds
b
: to satisfy the needs or wishes of
c
: to provide for : satisfy
… laws by which the material wants of men are supplied …—Bulletin of Bates College
d
: to furnish (organs, tissues, or cells) with a vital element (such as blood or nerve fibers)
2
: to substitute for another in
specifically
: to serve as a supply in (a church or pulpit)
3
: to add as a supplement
: to serve as a supply or substitute
Cite this Entry
“Supply.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supply. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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