a1530 T. Lupset Compend. Treat. Dyenge Well (1534) sig. f. 21 Surely vnworthy he is to haue in hym the power of vnderstandynge, of thynkyng, of prouydynge, of lernynge, of teachyng, of diuisyng,..of infinite moo gyftes.

?1550 Pyers Plowmans Exhort. sig. Aij^v We shuld..procede no further in redressing other abuses nor in the prouiding of liuinges for them w^c were commonly wont to go into abbeys.

1603 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes 282 Money inough for the prouiding of all things needfull.

1633 W. Struther in C. H. Spurgeon Treasury of David (1871) II. Ps. xxxvi. 4 Every man's predominant is a beast of Satan's saddling and providing.

1657 Acts & Ordin. Parl. (Scobell) c. 30 §8. 513 Rules..for..the providing and keeping of a sufficient number of Horses, and Pacquet-Boats.

1741 S. Richardson Pamela 206 I could not persuade myself..but that I should do better for her than my Mother had wished me to do, and so more than answer all her Injunctions, as to the providing for her.

1769 H. Brooke Fool of Quality IV. 182 The Auctionier and Bidders proved of Mr. Snack's providing.

1801 C. B. Brown Jane Talbot 266 She..proposes ten o'clock this night, to join our hands.., and resigns to me the providing of suitable means.

1885 Athenæum 26 Dec. 843/2 Little or none of the money has been of English providing.

1921 Discovery May 130/1 The providing of suitable sprays and washes, and other material connected with the checking of plant pests.

1989 R. Alter Pleasures of Reading vi. 173 The providing or withholding of information in literary narratives.

1794 G. Buchan-Hepburn Gen. View Agric. E. Lothian 93 They [sc. female servants] were paid in fungibles; such as cloth of different species, suited partly for their wearing apparel, and partly intended for what we call their providing, when they came to be married, such as blankets, etc.

1820 Glenfergus III. xxxii. 255 Rachel's apparel and ‘providing’..were packed up in trunks, chests, and boxes.

1864 Cornhill Mag. Nov. 614 His sweetheart..has managed..to save money enough to buy what is called her ‘providing’, which comprises the napery and other household linen.

1867 Harper's Mag. Oct. 659 ‘She is waiting for me to sell my cheese.’ ‘Oh, ho!’ ‘To piece out your generous providings.’

1895 Outing 26 3/1 All our providings and personnel were such as in India nobody supposes he can do without.

1900 S. R. Crockett Fitting of Peats iii, in Love Idylls (1901) 23 I will put plenty of providing for man and beast behind the park dyke.

1952 B. Holman Diamond Panes 61 She stowed away articles of clothing she made often with the help of her mother, as part of her ‘providing’.

1980 D. K. Cameron Willie Gavin x. 101 In that first year of her marriage..Willie Gavin's bride had taken a hairst fee to help towards the rest of her ‘providing’.

1423 Rolls of Parl. VI. 256/2 Be it ordeigned..that the too half be forfet to the use of the Kyng..Provydyng evir more that thei goeth unto the koyne.

1463 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 33 Provydyng alwey that she be made sewr of hire levving.

1560 Inchaffray Charters (S.H.S.) 167 Providing that the specialite heirin expremit mak nocht dirogatioun to the generalite.

1579 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1880) 1st Ser. III. 177 Providing alwyis that the said Andro beir not forther eventure of the said money nor he dois of his awin propir geir and himself.

1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. vi. 246 Hee cared little for our Faith, and Patience, prouiding, that our purses could answere his expectation.

1677 R. Barclay Universal Love 36 Providing that this Seed, Grace, Word and Light, which is in them all, and the free gift of God to them all, receive place in their hearts, [etc.].

a1732 T. Boston Crook in Lot (1805) 11 Providing that the crook in his lot should not be set afresh in his view.

1790 A. Mackenzie View Polit. State Scotl. 23 The owner of lands of two hundred pounds Scots valued rent, should be entitled to vote..providing always, that no more than one person should be allowed to vote upon the same lands.

1834 T. H. Chivers Conrad & Eudora i. i. 6 This is a definite world, and so are we, And tend in our relations, to each other—Providing that we are just as we should be—That every man should be his neighbour's brother.

1901 Times 2 Oct. 3/6 The owners have unanimously expressed their willingness to proceed to arbitration..providing that all sections..were agreeable to this course.

1937 N. Coward Present Indicative 121 I showed every indication of becoming a good playwright, providing that I never again in my life read another word that he, Shaw, had ever written.

1999 Vision Newspaper (Univ. York) 8 Mar. 14/4 You will have to pay a bond for the property that will be returned at the end of your tenancy, providing that you leave the house in good condition.

1552 Breadalbane Coll. Documents & Lett. (Edinb. Reg. House) No. 81 Prouiding alwais the saidis Duncane and..his sone..keip thair band and mantrent.

1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. x. 495 The Wooll..is nothing inferiour to that..of Spaine: providing they had skill to fine, Spin, Weaue, and labour it as they should.

1668 T. St. Serfe Tarugo's Wiles iii. i. 25 Providing the sturgeon be not pickl'd, it onely amounts to a simple Fornication.

1769 J. Ussher Clio (ed. 2) 160 The principal art of the landscape painter lies in selecting those objects of view that are beautiful or great, providing there be a propriety..preserved in the assemblage.

1795 Earl of Malmesbury Diaries & Corr. III. 198 Freytag proposes a concert, providing somebody will pay for it.

1839 ‘G. Eliot’ in Life (1885) I. 50 Always providing our leisure is not circumscribed by duty.

1874 J. Ruskin Fors Clavigera IV. xlv. 203 Providing they pay you the fixed rent.

1919 Rep. Departmental Comm. Old Age Pensions App. 153/1 in Parl. Papers (Cmd. 411) XXVII. 299 Providing the consent of the company is obtained, members are not bound to retire at that age.

1951 Chambers's Jrnl. Aug. 456/1 The hand-hoeing of crops was, providing the weather co-operated, a successful and economic practice.

1991 A. Carter Wise Children (1992) i. 27 Indoors, providing the boarders weren't around, she never wore a stitch.