n.
Pronunciation: s ə - ' pl ī
Function: verb
Inflected Form: sup · plied ; sup · ply · ing
Etymology: Middle English supplien to complete, compensate for, from Middle French soupplier, from Latin suppl ē re to fill up, complete, raise (a military unit, crew) to its full complement, substitute, from sub- up + pl ē re to fill ― more at SUB- , FULL
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 : to add as a supplement
2 [Middle French souploier, alteration of soupplier ] a : to provide for : SATISFY <laws by which the material wants of men are supplied ― Bull. of Bates Coll. > b : to make available for use : PROVIDE < supplied the necessary funds> c : to satisfy the needs or wishes of d : to furnish (organs, tissues, or cells) with a vital element (as blood or nerve fibers)
3 : to substitute for another in specifically : to serve as a supply in (a church or pulpit)
intransitive verb : to serve as a supply or substitute
– sup · pli · er \ - ' pl ī (- ə )r \ noun