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.
 
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