Definition

1. Noun:

   • Food or provisions, especially for human consumption: "Victual" refers to food or supplies, typically those meant to be eaten by people. It is often used in the plural form "victuals."

2. Verb:

   • To provide with food or supplies: To supply or furnish with necessary provisions.
   • To take in or consume food: To eat or partake of nourishment.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The ship's hold was filled with victuals for the long voyage.
  • They stopped at the market to buy fresh victuals.

• Verb:

  • The army unit was victualled before the campaign.
  • The crew spent the day victualling the vessel.

Advanced Usage

• "To lay in victuals": To stock up on or store a supply of food.
  • The settlers laid in victuals for the harsh winter.

Variants and Related Words

• Victualler (noun): A person or business that supplies provisions, especially to ships or armies.
  • The victualler delivered barrels of salted meat to the port.

Synonyms

• Noun: Provisions, foodstuffs, comestibles, rations, sustenance.
• Verb: Provision, supply, cater, forage.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Victual up: To stock up on food supplies.
  • We need to victual up before the storm hits.

Related Idioms

• "Short of victuals": Lacking sufficient food.
  • The explorers found themselves short of victuals in the remote valley.

Noun

1. any substance that can be used as food

Verb

1. take in nourishment
2. lay in provisions
   • The vessel victualled before the long voyage
3. supply with food
   • The population was victualed during the war