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   ration

   /ˈraʃn/

   noun

   • 1. a fixed amount of a commodity officially allowed to each person during a time of shortage, as in wartime: "1947 saw the bread ration reduced" Similar allowanceallocationquotafixed amountamountquantityshareportionhelpingallotmentmeasurepartlotproportionpercentagerare:apportionmentquantummoiety
   • ▪ an amount of food supplied on a regular basis, especially to members of the armed forces during a war: "British rations were highly prized by American soldiers" Similar suppliesprovisionsfoodfood and drinkfoodstuffseatablesediblesnecessariesnecessitiesstoresviversinformal:grubeatschuckarchaic:victualsvittlesviandsmeatcommonsrare:comestiblesprovenderalimentviaticum
   • ▪ food; provisions: "their emergency rations ran out"
   • ▪ a fixed amount of a particular thing: "holidaymakers who like a generous ration of activity"

   verb

   • 1. allow each person to have only a fixed amount of (a commodity): "petrol was so strictly rationed that bikes were always in demand" Similar controllimit (to a fixed amount)restrict (the consumption of)conservebudgetdistributeshare outmeasure outdivide out/upapportiongive outdeal outissueallocateallotdispensehand outpass outdole outparcel outrare:admeasure
   • ▪ allow someone to have only (a fixed amount of a commodity): "the population was rationed to four litres of water per person per day"

   Word Origin late 17th century: from French, from Latin ratio(n-) ‘reckoning, ratio’.

   Scrabble Points: 6

   • R

     1

   • A

     1

   • T

     1

   • I

     1

   • O

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   • N

     1

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