Ration
/ˈræʃən/
Definitions
2 meaningsA fixed allowance or share of something, especially food, especially during a time of scarcity.
/ˈræʃən/
A fixed amount of something, especially food, allowed to each person during a time of shortage, as during a war.
The government implemented food rations during the famine.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're on a camping trip and have only a certain amount of food for each day. That amount of food you get is your ration! Like if you only have two cookies for the whole week, that's your cookie ration.
👶 For kids: A ration is a set amount of something like food that you are allowed to have, especially when there's not much available.
More Examples
Each family was given a small ration of gasoline during the fuel shortage.
The soldiers shared their water rations equally among themselves.
How It's Used
"Soldiers were issued their daily ration of food and supplies."
"During World War II, people lived on reduced rations due to scarcity."
To limit or control the amount of something available for people to use, often during a time of scarcity or shortage.
/ˈræʃən/
To control the amount of something that people are allowed to have, especially because there is not enough of it.
During the war, the government rationed food and other essential supplies.
💡 Simply: Imagine a restaurant that has only a few slices of pizza left, and they can't get any more for a while. They might ration the pizza, giving only one slice to each customer so that everyone can have some. It's like making sure there's enough to go around when supplies are limited.
👶 For kids: To ration is to give out only a certain amount of something to each person because there isn't much to go around.
More Examples
The company was forced to ration its resources during the financial crisis.
We had to ration our water supply during the drought.
How It's Used
"The government rationed gasoline during the crisis."
"I had to ration my energy throughout the long hike."
Synonyms
Allocation
Allowance
Portion
Quota
Allocate
Control
Limit
Idioms & expressions
on rations
Referring to a state where the supply of goods or resources is limited and carefully controlled.
"During the war, families lived on rations, receiving limited amounts of food and supplies."
From French *ration* meaning 'a fixed allowance', from Latin *ratio* 'reckoning, calculation'.
The word gained prominence during times of war and scarcity, reflecting its importance in resource management.
Memory tip
Think of the limited amount of food someone gets in a survival situation.