See Also: ration(medicine)
Ration(money)
K ration(dictionary)
ration(dictionary)
basal ration(medicine)
ration 1, noun(dictionary)
ration 2, verb(dictionary)

ration (iou)



ration noun & verb. M16.
[(French from Italian razione or Spanish racion) formed as RATIO noun: see -ION.]
A. noun.
Reasoning. rare. Only in M16.
= RATIO noun 2. M17-E19.
A fixed (daily) allowance of provisions for a person, esp. in the armed forces (usu. in pl.); gen. (in pl.) provisions, food. Formerly also (Military), a daily allowance of forage for an animal. E18.
given out with the rations Military slang (of a medal etc.) awarded automatically, without regard to merit.
R. Conquest We..pull out our rations and begin to eat. P. Scott Provided basic rations in the shape of monthly doles of flour, tea, salt.
A fixed official allowance of or of (a specified type of) food, clothing, fuel, etc., for each person in time of war or shortage. E18.
off ration, off the ration in addition to the allowance.
R. Macaulay Our meals are rather austere..our meat ration is so tiny. E. Young-Bruehl They ate..cautiously in order not to disturb stomachs accustomed to war rations.
Comb.: ration book, ration card, ration coupon: entitling the holder to a ration; ration sheep Austral. the sheep to be killed for food for the workers on a station; ration strength the number of soldiers in an armed force, estimated by the rations supplied to them.
b. verb trans.
Supply with rations; limit to a fixed allowance of food etc. M19.
W. Golding I did ration myself to a daily bottle.
Share out (food etc.) in fixed quantities. Also foll. by out. L19.
G. Sayer There were..logs..for the fires, because coal was rationed.