A fixed daily allowance of provisions assigned to a soldier in the army, or a sailor in the navy, for his subsistence. [1913 Webster]
" Officers have several rations, the number varying according to their rank or the number of their attendants." [1913 Webster]
Hence, a certain portion or fixed amount dealt out; an allowance; an allotment. [1913 Webster]

ration, v. t.

To supply with rations, as a regiment. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

ration, n. & v.
--n.
1 a fixed official allowance of food, clothing, etc., in a time of shortage.
2 (foll. by of) a single portion of provisions, fuel, clothing, etc.
3 (usu. in pl.) a fixed daily allowance of food, esp. in the armed forces (and formerly of forage for animals).
4 (in pl.) provisions.
--v.tr.
1 limit (persons or provisions) to a fixed ration.
2 (usu. foll. by out) share out (food etc.) in fixed quantities.

Idiom

given out with the rations Mil. sl. awarded without regard to merit. ration book (or card) a document entitling the holder to a ration.

Etymology

F f. It. razione or Sp. raci{oacute}n f. L ratio -onis reckoning, RATIO

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THESAURUS

ration

administer, allocate, allot, allotment, allowance, amount, apportion, apportionment, assign, assignment, batch, big end, bigger half, bit, bite, budget, bunch, chunk, clutch, comestibles, commission, commons, consignment, contingent, control, count, cut, deal, deal out, destiny, disburse, dispense, disperse, dispose, distribute, distribution, divide, dividend, division, divvy, dole, dole out, dose, eatables, edibles, end, equal share, fate, food, give out, gob, group, half, halver, hand out, heap, helping, hunk, interest, issue, large amount, limit, lot, measure, measure out, meed, mess, mete, mete out, modicum, moiety, number, pack, parcel, parcel out, part, pass around, pay out, percentage, piece, portion, portion out, proportion, prorate, provender, provision, provisions, quantity, quantum, quota, rake-off, rations, restrict, schedule, segment, share, shift, slice, small amount, small share, spoon out, stake, stock, sum, supplies, viands, victuals

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ROGET THESAURUS

ration

Apportionment

N apportionment, allotment, consignment, assignment, appointment, appropriation, dispensation, distribution, division, deal, repartition, partition, administration, dividend, portion, contingent, share, allotment, fair share, allocation, lot, measure, dose, dole, meed, pittance, quantum, ration, ratio, proportion, quota, modicum, mess, allowance, suerte, apportioning, respective, respectively, each to each.

VB apportion, divide, distribute, administer, dispense, billet, allot, detail, cast, share, mete, portion out, parcel out, dole out, deal, carve, allocate, ration, ration out, assign, separate, partition, assign, appropriate, appoint, come in for one's share.

Food

N food, eating, deglutition, gulp, epulation, mastication, manducation, rumination, gluttony, hippophagy, ichthyophagy, (appetite), mouth, jaws, mandible, mazard, gob, chops, drinking, potation, draught, libation, carousal, drunkenness, food, pabulum, aliment, nourishment, nutriment, sustenance, sustentation, sustention, nurture, subsistence, provender, corn, feed, fodder, provision, ration, keep, commons, board, commissariat, prey, forage, pasture, pasturage, fare, cheer, diet, dietary, regimen, belly timber, staff of life, bread, bread and cheese, comestibles, eatables, victuals, edibles, ingesta, grub, grubstake, prog, meat, bread, bread stuffs, cerealia, cereals, viands, cates, delicacy, dainty, creature comforts, contents of the larder, fleshpots, festal board, ambrosia, good cheer, good living, beef, bisquit, bun, cornstarch, cookie, cooky, cracker, doughnut, fatling, hardtack, hoecake, hominy, mutton, pilot bread, pork, roti, rusk, ship biscuit, veal, joint, piece de resistance, roast and boiled, remove, entremet, releve, hash, rechauffe, stew, ragout, fricassee, mince, pottage, potage, broth, soup, consomme, puree, spoonmeat, pie, pasty, volauvent, pudding, omelet, pastry, sweets, kickshaws, condiment, appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, main course, entree, alligator pear, apple, apple slump, artichoke, ashcake, griddlecake, pancake, flapjack, atole, avocado, banana, beche de mer, barbecue, beefsteak, beet root, blackberry, blancmange, bloater, bouilli, bouillon, breadfruit, chop suey, chowder, chupatty, clam, compote, damper, fish, frumenty, grapes, hasty pudding, ice cream, lettuce, mango, mangosteen, mince pie, oatmeal, oyster, pineapple, porridge, porterhouse steak, salmis, sauerkraut, sea slug, sturgeon ("Albany beef"), succotash, supawn, trepang, vanilla, waffle, walnut, table, cuisine, bill of fare, menu, table d'hote, ordinary, entree, meal, repast, feed, spread, mess, dish, plate, course, regale, regalement, refreshment, entertainment, refection, collation, picnic, feast, banquet, junket, breakfast, lunch, luncheon, dejeuner, bever, tiffin, dinner, supper, snack, junk food, fast food, whet, bait, dessert, potluck, table d'hote, dejeuner a la fourchette, hearty meal, square meal, substantial meal, full meal, blowout, light refreshment, bara, chotahazri, bara khana, mouthful, bolus, gobbet, morsel, sop, sippet, drink, beverage, liquor, broth, soup, potion, dram, draught, drench, swill, nip, sip, sup, gulp, wine, spirits, liqueur, beer, ale, malt liquor, Sir John Barleycorn, stingo, heavy wet, grog, toddy, flip, purl, punch, negus, cup, bishop, wassail, gin, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, the cup that cheers but not inebriates, bock beer, lager beer, Pilsener beer, schenck beer, Brazil tea, cider, claret, ice water, mate, mint julep, near beer, 2 beer, non- alcoholic beverage, eating house, diner, hippophage, glutton, eatable, edible, esculent, comestible, alimentary, cereal, cibarious, dietetic, culinary, nutritive, nutritious, gastric, succulent, potable, potulent, bibulous, omnivorous, carnivorous, herbivorous, granivorous, graminivorous, phytivorous, ichthyivorous, omophagic, omophagous, pantophagous, phytophagous, xylophagous, across the walnuts and the wine, blessed hour of our dinners!, now good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both!, who can cloy the hungry edge of appetite?.

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