I. ra ‧ tion 1 /ˈræʃ ə n $ ˈræ-, ˈreɪ-/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Language: French ; Origin: Latin ratio ; ⇨ ↑ ratio ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] a fixed amount of something that people are allowed to have when there is not enough, for example during a war
food/clothes/meat etc ration
the weekly meat ration
a coal ration of 4 kg a month
on ration
Even wool was on ration in the war.
2 . rations [plural] a fixed amount of food given to a soldier or member of a group:
emergency food rations
The prisoners were queuing for their meagre rations (=small rations) .
We were on short rations (=given a smaller amount than usual) .
3 . [singular] an amount of something that you think is reasonable or normal
ration of
holidaymakers who like a generous ration of open-air activity
II. ration 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . [usually passive] to control the supply of something because there is not enough:
Fuel was rationed during the war.
2 . to allow someone only a small amount of something:
the need to ration health care resources
diets which ration fat
ration somebody/something to something
He rationed himself to 4 cigarettes a day.
I try to ration the children’s television viewing to an hour a day.