Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1700-1800
Language: French
Origin: Latin ratio; RATIO

ration

1 noun
     
ra‧tion1
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]PM 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
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

Dictionary pictures of the day
Do you know what each of these is called?
What is the word for picture 1? What is the word for picture 2? What is the word for picture 3? What is the word for picture 4?
Click on any of the pictures above to find out what it is called.

Explore our topic dictionary

Browse the dictionary