provide for somebody/something phrasal verb ( see also ↑ provide )
1 . to give someone the things they need to live, such as money, food etc:
Without work, how can I provide for my children?
2 . formal if a law, rule, or plan provides for something, it states that something will be done and makes it possible for it to be done:
The new constitution provides for a 650-seat legislature.
3 . formal to make plans in order to deal with something that might happen in the future:
Commanders failed to provide for an attack by sea.