rationn.
/ˈraʃn/, U.S. /ˈræʃ(ə)n/, /ˈreɪʃ(ə)n/ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > process of reasoning, ratiocination > [noun]
reasonc1330
skillingc1374
discourse?c1400
discursec1443
argumentationa1492
ratiocination1532
ration1548
discursion1603
discursiveness1647
discoursiveness1661
movement1869
1548 L. Shepherd Dr. Doubble Ale sig. aij So this folish nation Esteme their owne racion and all dum ceremonies before the sanctimonies Of Christes holy writ.
1550 J. Hooper Ouersight Jonas vi. 138 b We be not so addicte and geuen vnto humane ration, that we wyll beleue nothinge more than reason is able to accompt and geue answer for.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > ratio or proportion > [noun]
reason?c1400
rate1614
ration1653
ratio1660
logistic numbers1728
society > trade and finance > money > value of money > [noun] > relative value of coins or metals
ratea1513
ration1653
ratio1771
rating1841
parity1895
basket of currencies1973
the world > relative properties > relationship > [noun] > proportion or ratio
numbera1387
proportiona1387
compassc1400
quantity1556
proport1565
Numb.1653
scale1662
ratio1663
ration1728
1653 H. Moseley in Ld. Brouncker tr. R. Descartes Excellent Compend. Musick sig. b3v As the Number of Parts in the First Terme, to the Number of Rations between the First and Second, to the Number of Rations between the Second and Third.
1692 O. Walker Greek & Rom. Hist. 6 That Ration of Gold to Silver was 12 to one.
1728 R. North Mem. Musick (1846) 24 The musick, and the rations of the intervals subtilized.
1815 J. C. Hobhouse Substance Lett. (1816) I. 347 Increasing in a reduplicating ration.
1840 J. F. W. Johnstone in London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 17 7 I have not as yet proposed any name for the supposed radical C30 H20. It belongs to the same group as mesitylene..and retinyle C18 H12, in both of which the elements are in the ration 3 to 2.
1893 N. Amer. Rev. Feb. 176 The fact that..the annual product of silver at this ration has been greater than the product of gold does not mitigate against the argument.
3.
a. An allowance of provisions or other supplies made on a regular basis; esp. a fixed daily allowance made to members of the armed services in time of war. Frequently with of. See also iron rations n. 1 and short rations at short adj. 15a. Also more generally (in plural): provisions, food.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > supply of food or provisions > rations > [noun]
liverisona1325
ordinary1481
allowance1526
diet1533
commons1541
common1638
ration1687
dietary1838
the mind > possession > giving > distributing or dealing out > an allotted share, portion, or part > [noun] > by government or authority
ration1687
society > armed hostility > military organization > logistics > [noun] > provision or procurement of supplies > supplies > ration
munition-wine1603
munition bread1629
ration1687
estapa1753
the world > food and drink > food > supply of food or provisions > [noun]
victualsa1375
substancec1384
repasta1393
kitchenc1400
tablec1405
stuff1436
acates1465
acatry1522
victualling1532
provision1555
achates1570
plate1577
avitaile1592
support1599
horn and corn1633
subsistence1640
cribbing1652
purvey1678
commissariat1811
ration1814
commissary1883
1687 R. Wolley tr. N. Besongne Present State France (new ed.) i. xix. 176 There are now forty eight Harbingers quarterly Waiters, serving by twelve a quarter, which have every of them,..when the Court is on the march, a Crown a day for their Diet, from the day they set out; and in the Armies their rations of Ammunition-Bread.
1692 T. Brown tr. M.-C. d'Aulnoy Mem. Court Spain 68 She had been hitherto very well paid, and her Domesticks received their Racions, that is to say, their Allowances, either in Money or Provisions.
1720 J. Ozell et al. tr. R. A. de Vertot Hist. Revol. Rom. Republic II. xiii. 276 The Corn that used to be measured out to them by Rations (or stinted Allowances) was given them with out Measure.
1776 J. Hancock in J. Sparks Corr. Amer. Revol. (1853) I. 236 The cost of a ration, as furnished by the Commissary-General.
1780 J. H. Tooke Facts v. iv. 50 In the month of September 1775, Lord North thought it necessary to send the British Army..various supplies of comfort to be distributed to the troops as rations besides their regular rations of ordinary provisions.
1814 W. Scott Waverley I. xvii. 260 Cutting with their dirks their rations from the carcasses which were there suspended. View more context for this quotation
1862 R. Henning Let. 19 Oct. (1966) 110 Biddulph or Mr Hedgeland goes to the out-stations with provisions, or rations, as they call them.
1879 A. Forbes in Daily News 25 June 6/1 He will be able to carry forward with him eighty thousand rations of fuel, consisting of coal.
1885 Pall Mall Gaz. 1 July 3/2 A ‘ration’ in the literal military sense of the word means 1 lb. bread and ¾ lb. meat (bone included).
1917 Times 28 Feb. 10/3 An Army Council instruction was issued last week limiting the sugar ration for civilian and combatant prisoners of war to 7 oz per week.
1922 C. E. Montague Disenchantment ii. 15 A little famished London cab-tout, a recruit, still rectilinear as a starved cat even after a month of army rations.
1944 Gen. 30 Dec. 55/2 Nickly overstepped the mark when he suggested to the quarter-bloke..that he was flogging the rations.
1976 P. Kemp Oxf. Compan. Ships & Sea 654/1 Official instructions were that any plush after the daily issue was to be poured into the scuppers and allowed to run overboard to prevent anyone getting more than his ration, but seamen were adept at saving such waste.
2004 D. Mitchell Cloud Atlas (U.K. ed.) 516 Cpt. Molyneux sent word to Mr Green that the men's grog ration was doubled so by the afternoon watch the seamen were flown.
b. Originally Military. A daily allowance of forage or other supplies for a horse.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > supply of food or provisions > rations > [noun] > ration for horses
liveryc1440
ration1702
feed1735
society > armed hostility > military organization > logistics > [noun] > provision or procurement of supplies > supplies > ration > for horses
ration1702
1702 Mil. Dict. sig. D6 Forrage, a Ration of Forrage, is the Day's allowance for a Horse, which is 20 Pounds of Hay, 10 Pounds of Straw, [etc.].
1746 tr. G. Le Blond Treat. Artillery xiv. xxi. 125 At the rate of 18,000 rations per day, supposing the horse without the camp and lines, the ration estimated at 10 lb. of hay, 6 lb. of straw, and 3 pecks of oats, the whole for 40 days makes Rations 72 000.
a1782 C. Lee Mem. (1792) 376 Upon the whole, Sir, I really do not think they ought or can do with less than forty dollars per month, and rations at least for their horses.
1811 Duke of Wellington Dispatches (1837) VIII. 286 The account of the rations issued to the post horses and mules, and postillions.
1876 G. E. Voyle & G. de Saint-Clair-Stevenson Mil. Dict. (ed. 3) 143/1 The daily ration laid down for all horses is 12 lbs. of oats and 12 lbs. of hay.
1918 Times 26 Oct. 3/1 (heading) Horse's new corn ration.
1993 Horse & Rider May 38/3 If you're already adding a feedthrough dewormer to your horse's daily ration.
c. Australian. In singular and plural. An allowance of provisions granted to a worker as a condition of employment. Also: a gift of food made to an itinerant worker or vagrant. Now historical.
ΚΠ
1838 Jrnl. Statist. Soc. 1 160 Good mechanics appear to earn from 30s. to 40s. a week in Sydney, without lodgings or rations. Common labourers 14s. a week with rations, or 5s. 6d. a week without rations.
1843 Sydney Morning Herald 6 Oct. 3/7 Wanted some shepherds. Wages, £15, and a good ration.
1879 S. W. Silver Austral. Grazier's Guide 41 The labourer generally arrives at the station store about sundown, with a request for ‘a little ration’ (always supplied gratis) and a rather languid inquiry as to whether ‘there's any work goin'’.
1913 H. Lawson Triangles of Life 166 Go to the storekeeper and he'll give you a bag of rations.
1974 W. G. Howcroft Sand in Stew 2 Some sundowners acquired a sinister reputation for allegedly using veiled threats..to station owners who refused them rations.
2002 Daily Tel. (Sydney) (Nexis) 24 July 31 Shepherd James Straiter received 500 lashes..for rallying a group of servants to demand higher wages and increased rations.
d. A fixed allowance of a specified type of food, clothing, fuel, etc., officially allocated to each civilian during time of shortage, as in wartime.For meat ration, petrol ration, sugar ration, etc.: see the first element.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > giving > distributing or dealing out > an allotted share, portion, or part > [noun] > definite or fixed
liveryc1330
allowance1440
stint1447
ordinary1481
measure1552
dimensum1631
plotment1634
limitage1635
scantling1660
ratio1751
sizing1823
ration1915
1915 Salt Lake Tribune 12 Feb. 3/5 The scheme of placing Berlin residents on a two-kilogm bread ration.
1917 Times 29 Dec. 3/1 Lord Rhonnda will recommend a 4oz. ration of margarine and a 1oz. ration of tea.
1922 H. W. Clemesha Food Control in North-West Division ii. 34 There must have been many families who were unable to afford the additional rations of meat which the cards of children would have enabled them to obtain.
1944 Ourselves in Wartime vii. 154/2 More often than not, they forfeited their personal sweet ration, which amounted to 3 ozs. of sweets or chocolate a week in 1943, for the sake of the children.
1973 J. G. Farrell Siege of Krishnapur xx. 238 She had saved her day's ration of flour and had made a poultice of it for a boil which had erupted on her temple.
1991 Jrnl. Refugee Stud. 4 255 Donor food rations were also inadequate and rarely fulfilled the WHO requirements of 400 grams of maize, 100 grams of sorghum, 40 g of salad oil and occasionally 40 g of beans.
4. In extended use: a share or allowance of something. Frequently with of.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > sharing > [noun] > a share
lotOE
metc1225
partc1300
portion?1316
share1539
coportion1596
quota1688
ration1850
chop1919
low1934
1850 R. Browning Christmas-eve ii. 7 Still, as I say, though you've found salvation, If I should choose to cry—as now—‘Shares!’—See if the best of you bars me my ration!
1879 G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 83 Só I in a sort deserve to And do serve God to serve to Just such slips of soldiery Christ's royal ration.
1934 L. Charteris Boodle xiii. 287 He had..invited him to name his poison, procured a double ration of the said poison..and settled himself in the adjoining chair to improve the shining hour.
1977 J. McPhee Coming into Country ii. 174 The helicopter had spilled us suddenly into a three-dimensional wilderness world—for a ration of tangibility, to last fifteen minutes.
2006 Vanity Fair (N.Y.) Jan. 54/1 By press time, Tew had pocketed some $600,000, together with his 15-minute ration of e-fame alongside lip-synching whiz kid Gary ‘Numa Numa’ Brolsma.
Phrases
P1. Military slang. to come up (also be given) with the rations: (of military medals and decorations) to be awarded automatically, without regard to merit.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > dueness or propriety > moral impropriety > be morally improper [verb (intransitive)] > be undeserved or unearned
to come up (also be given) with the rations1918
1918 Lincoln (Nebraska) Daily Star 6 Jan. 7/1 Just because your D.C.M. came up with the rations, and..it was wished on you, there is no reason in my mind to class every winner of a medal as being ‘accidentally lucky’.
1928 H. Williamson Pathway xvii. 378 ‘Did you get the Military Cross?’ asked Mrs. Ogilvie. ‘Yes, it came up with the rations.’ ‘Oh!’ ‘A soldier's joke, Mrs. Ogilvie.’
1937 J. A. Lee Civilian into Soldier 204 ‘Bit of decoration. Congratulations.’ ‘Came up with the rations.’ He took the ribbon. But if he joked he was pleased in his soul.
1957 J. Braine Room at Top xviii. 162 Lampton has no decorations apart from those which all servicemen who served his length of time are given, as they say, with the rations.
1973 A. Price October Men xv. 210 The British Military Cross..didn't come up with the rations.
2002 Herald Express (Torquay) (Nexis) 25 Sept. 19 DFM stands for Distinguished Flying Medal, awarded to airmen, usually for an act of outstanding bravery. Definitely not a decoration that comes up with the rations.
P2. off (the) ration: in addition to the official allowance; unrestricted. Also as adj. (attributive).
ΚΠ
1940 Times 9 Sept. 9/4 Some butchers are buying more meat than they can sell legally to their customers in order to sell the balance ‘off the ration’.
1943 Times 4 Aug. 3/3 The provision of facilities for off-ration consumption by special groups—especially factory workers.
1959 in I. Opie & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolchildren vii. 105 We are three spivs of Trafalgar Square Flogging nylons tuppence a pair, All fully fashioned, all off the ration, Sold in Trafalgar Square.
1975 S. Briggs Keep Smiling Through 150 Some articles off the ration could add an exotic touch to the menu. There was turbot in 1940 and whalemeat in 1942.
1975 S. Briggs Keep Smiling Through 161 ‘Off the ration’ foods..like salt cod were publicized as ‘grand for children as well as grown-ups and what a bargain!’
Compounds
C1.
ration bag n.
ΚΠ
1849 A. Harris Emigrant Family II. vi. 118 Carrying up their ration bags to the farm store.
1862 R. Henning Let. 5 Sept. (1966) 103 The ‘ration bags’ contained flour, sugar, tea, sardines, bacon, cheese, salt beef and salmon and jam.
1917 A. G. Empey Over Top 305 Ration bag, a small, very small bag for carrying rations.
1996 D. Pilkington Rabbit-proof Fence vi. 56 How many ration bags had their mothers, grandmothers and aunts used with that red dingo—midgi-midgi dgundu—on them?
ration beef n.
ΚΠ
1835 J. E. Alexander Sketches in Portugal iv. 101 Into an upper room marched two troopers, with a camp-kettle between them containing water, followed by two others with another kettle, containing a savoury mess of ration-beef, boiled with bread and onions.
1882 B. M. Croker Proper Pride II. iii. 53 Dining heartily on ration beef and dry bread.
1967 T. W. Blackburn Good Day to Die v. 43 Ration beef did not dry well and was poor in suet. It did not have the buffalo's fat and hump-oil.
1985 Times 2 May 19/6 Wellington had to apologise for a mock religious procession in which British officers pretended to be Catholic priests and carried ration-beef instead of the host.
ration boot n.
ΚΠ
1855 Times 18 Apr. 12/2 These men, accustomed in their own wilds to live not only without shoes but without shirts, were at once initiated into the mysteries of ration boots, stock, shake, and red coatee!
1902 ‘Coldstreamer’ Ballads of Boer War vii. 70 If you find a time to suit, Just cop 'im with a ration boot.
ration-carrier n.
ΚΠ
1868 C. W. Browne Overlanding in Austral. 59 Such is his daily routine varied by the visit of the ration-carrier once a week.
1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer (1891) 115 The ration-carriers..were always conveying provisions, water, wood, all things necessary to the shepherds.
1937 D. Gunn Links with Past 139 Bill..was the ration carrier.
2006 Daily Mail (Nexis) 3 July 26 The ration-carriers' task was most unenviable, as thankless as it was dangerous.
ration cart n.
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1849 A. Harris Emigrant Family I. v. 68 Willoughby..was seen conveying three ladies in the little green ration-cart towards the Rocky Springs.
1927 Weekly Kansas City (Missouri) Star 26 Jan. 7 The ration cart had been lost and the rations were piled indiscriminately on the rolling kitchen.
2003 Macarthur Chron. (Austral.) (Nexis) 18 Feb. It seemed Edward Graham was crossing the river with a ration cart when the bullocks got into a deep hole.
ration grievance n.
ΚΠ
1855 Times 7 Oct. 13/4 The old ration grievance is worse than ever. Except on the review day the British surgeons have had no meat for three weeks, and often no bread.
1890 19th Cent. Nov. 844 One more instance of a ration grievance, and we will pass on.
1947 Times 3 Apr. 4/7 (heading) Ration grievances... While tomorrow's stoppage..is primarily directed against the dearth of food, it was clear..that there are a number of other points.
ration party n.
ΚΠ
1851 F. Fitzclarence Man. Outpost Duties 114 The fire-men..would have the kitchen built and fire ready by the time the water, wood, and ration parties were returned.
1917 A. G. Empey Over Top 305 Ration party, men detailed to carry rations to the front line.
1928 E. Blunden Undertones of War xiii. 145 At the ration-party's rendezvous.., our hearty Quartermaster Swain..was guarding..our issue of rum.
1975 P. Fussell Great War & Mod. Memory (1977) iv. 115 Rumor was borne..by ration-parties.
2007 Belfast Tel. (Nexis) 23 Feb. 18 Barry..had been hanged for his part in the IRA murder of a soldier in an Army ration party collecting bread from a bakery on Upper Church Street.
ration rum n.
ΚΠ
1836 B. E. Hill Recoll. Artillery Officer I. xix. 316 The youngster and myself devoured it with great gusto, washing it down with ration rum.
1918 E. A. Mackintosh War, the Liberator 94 Punch concocted out of ration rum.
2000 Times of India (Nexis) 15 June It is not unknown..for a militant to slide into a CRPF or BSF bunker at night to effect the swift exchange of money for ration rum.
ration scale n.
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1867 Times 25 Oct. 4/6 The inquiry embraced all particulars as to the influence of drainage, cultivation, improved stations, and shelter on health, water supply, barrack accommodation, and ration scales.
1897 ‘P. Warung’ Tales Old Regime 81 The daily ration-scale permitted him only 16 ozs. uncooked maize-meal.
1959 Bulletin (Sydney) 1 July 18/2 Station ration-scales, as authorised by the Central Queensland Pastoral Employers' Association in 1893—included: flour 8lb.; tea, 6oz; sugar, 3lb.; meat, 20lb.; salt, 9lb.; soda, 2oz.
1998 Record (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.) (Nexis) 9 Jan. a7 We're also going to be providing a much broader ration scale to all these children as it's very clear they are not receiving anywhere near the amount of food they need to be getting at home in order to sustain their health.
ration sugar n.
ΚΠ
1861 H. L. Scott Mil. Dict. 198 Break eighty portions of ration cocoa in rather small pieces,..stir the cocoa round till melted, and..add the ration sugar.
1873 J. C. F. Johnson Christmas on Carringa 1 Luscious bush jam tarts in tin plates, the jam ingeniously concocted of brown ration sugar and water.
1892 Missing Friends iii. 54 The most inferior goods in the market are called ration-tea and ration-sugar.
1918 H. Lawson Last Rev. in Poet. Wks. (1963) 182 Milkless tea and ration sugar, damper, junk, and pumpkin mash.
2000 Times of India (Nexis) 1 Mar. If you are an income-tax payer, forget your monthly quota of cheap ration sugar.
ration tea n.
ΚΠ
1852 G. C. Mundy Our Antipodes I. x. 329 Another notorious ration tea of the bush is called ‘Jack the Painter’. This is a very green tea indeed.
1892 Missing Friends iii. 54 The most inferior goods in the market are called ration-tea and ration-sugar.
1943 H. G. Lamond From Tariaro to Ross Roy 20 The staple rations in those days..were: Flour (Californian), tea (probably China, known as ‘ration’ tea, and commonly referred to as ‘post and rails’) [etc.].
1966 S. J. Baker Austral. Lang. (ed. 2) iv. 85 Three old expressions are ration-tea,..post-and-rails (also called post-and-rail tea) and Jack the painter, the second is derived from the pieces of stalk and leaf floating on top.
1999 Times (Nexis) 10 Apr. While Russell made ration tea—very strong but with no added bromide, he assured me—I got to grips with a 2kg box which contained food for one person for 24 hours.
ration warrant n.
ΚΠ
1830 E. S. N. Campbell Dict. Mil. Sci. at Ration The Commanding Officer has the power by the Ration Warrant of 14th July, 1827, of diminishing..this allowance.
1995 Jrnl. Rom. Stud. 85 232 Ration-warrant for adiutor memoriae of Emperor Galerius authorizing supplies between Caesarea and when he joins the comitatus in Egypt.
C2.
ration book n. a book entitling its holder to a ration.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > supply of food or provisions > rations > [noun] > ticket or card entitling to rations or provisions
soup-ticket1839
ration book1845
meal ticket1864
ration card1870
pie card1895
the mind > possession > giving > distributing or dealing out > an allotted share, portion, or part > [noun] > by government or authority > card or coupon of entitlement
ration book1845
meat card1870
ration card1870
ration ticket1871
food card1896
sugar card1917
coupon1918
meat coupon1918
clothing book1943
clothing coupon1943
1845 J. Smith Syst. Mil. Discipline 167 When the secretary has signed his ration book, he may then destroy those receipts.
1887 Atlanta (Georgia) Constit. 10 Sept. 5/3 In June or July, the ration books showed there had been no fresh meat or vegetables served for one week.
1918 Times 1 Nov. 3/2 The Ministry of Food wish to remind the public that persons registered with retailers for tea must renew their registration as soon as possible by depositing with the retailer the ‘spare counterfoil 2’ on leaf 7 of their new ration books.
1939 New Statesman 18 Nov. 700/1 The ration books..have now been distributed.
1983 G. Swift Waterland l. 295 It's March 18th, 1947. The war's over. But the hardship's not over. The ration book still stands on the mantlepiece.
ration card n. a card entitling its holder to a ration.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > supply of food or provisions > rations > [noun] > ticket or card entitling to rations or provisions
soup-ticket1839
ration book1845
meal ticket1864
ration card1870
pie card1895
the mind > possession > giving > distributing or dealing out > an allotted share, portion, or part > [noun] > by government or authority > card or coupon of entitlement
ration book1845
meat card1870
ration card1870
ration ticket1871
food card1896
sugar card1917
coupon1918
meat coupon1918
clothing book1943
clothing coupon1943
1870 Times 19 Oct. 8/5 We are furnished with our ration cards, entitling us to something like an ounce and a half of solid meat—exclusive of all bone, mind.
1882 H. Vizetelly Paris in Peril II. vii. 35 At some establishments strangers were politely informed that dinners were only served to the regular clientèle, who had handed over their ration-cards to the proprietor.
1922 H. W. Clemesha Food Control in North-West Division ii. 39 When the ration cards and the vouchers had all been distributed they were lodged either with retailers or wholesalers.
1940 Economist 9 Mar. 415/1 A general census is to be taken preparatory to the issue of ration-cards [in France].
1987 R. Pilcher Shell Seekers xi. 366 She had lived with ration cards for so long that this abundance seemed to her nothing short of a miracle.
ration coupon n. a coupon entitling its holder to a ration.
ΚΠ
1918 Times 2 Mar. 7/3 (heading) Unused ration coupons. Time limit extended throughout home counties.
1944 Sun (Baltimore) 12 Dec. 12/8 A ‘red market’ in meat—collection of ration coupons for point free cuts.
1990 B. Bao Lord Legacies Chinese Mosaic 49 Any purchase required ration coupons as well as money.
ration pack n. chiefly Military a pack containing rations.
ΚΠ
1904 Newark (Ohio) Advocate 16 May 7/3 A ration pack... Proposed equipment before an infantry examining board.
1979 Globe & Mail (Toronto) (Nexis) 25 Apr. All these dishes..are conveniently prepared to fit into 4 1/2-pound individual ration packs, enough for three main meals, snacks and liquids for a day.
2004 S. Badsey et al. Falklands Confl. Twenty Years on 125 Argentinian officers..had a special high calorie ration pack with a small whisky bottle.
ration paddock n. Australian = ration-sheep paddock n.
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?a1880 G. L. Meredith Adventuring in Maoriland (1935) v. 41 I sometimes have to do the slaughtering. There is no ‘ration paddock’.
ration sheep n. Australian the sheep to be killed for food for the workers on a station.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > mutton > [noun] > sheep killed for food
killing-sheep1578
ration sheep1872
freezer1889
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > genus Ovus > [noun] > Ovus Aries (domestic sheep) > sheep for slaughter
mutton?c1335
ration sheep1872
freezer1889
1872 G. S. Baden-Powell New Homes for Old Country 156 Meat has to go out twice a week, unless the system of ration sheep be in vogue. Then each shepherd will have in his flock, sheep which he is allowed to kill.
1914 H. B. Smith Sheep & Wool Industry Australasia vi. 34 On a station the first sheep that are usually shorn are the ration sheep. These are the sheep that are to be killed for household and shearers' use.
1967 G. Jenkin Two Yrs. Bardunyah Station 3 Dingo, will you pick up a couple of ration sheep and drop them off at Kurlina.
2000 Sunday Mail (South Africa) (Nexis) 31 Dec. 96 Monash sheep property owner decided to bring home a ration sheep for the family larder.
ration-sheep paddock n. Australian a paddock in which ration sheep are kept.
ΚΠ
1946 F. D. Davison Dusty x. 105 The fence bounding the ration-sheep paddock.
ration stamp n. chiefly U.S. = ration coupon n.
ΚΠ
1942 Public Admin. Rev. 2 99/2 The key to the new system for rationing sugar was the device of the ration stamp.
1994 Rochesterian June 31/1 Sugar, coffee, butter, and meat could only be obtained with ration stamps.
ration strength n. the number of men in an armed force, as estimated by the rations supplied to them.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > armed forces > [noun] > number of personnel in
strength1589
ration strength1904
1904 Times 24 Feb. 14/1 One may take the ration strength of a Japanese division at 19,000 men.
1931 W. S. Churchill World Crisis V. xxi. 323 Out of 425,000 men comprising the entire manhood of the country, borne on the ration-strength of the Serbian army at the beginning of October, over 100,000 had been killed or wounded.
1965 B. Sweet-Escott Baker St. Irregular vii. 201 The ration strength of A.F.H.Q. at this time was..something like that of a fighting division.
1998 Independent (Nexis) 14 Nov. 10 Messages sometimes 10,000 characters in length sent between Hitler's High Command and commanders in the field, and containing vital information on troop dispositions, ration strengths, and even details of leave arrangements for generals.
ration ticket n. = ration card n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > giving > distributing or dealing out > an allotted share, portion, or part > [noun] > by government or authority > card or coupon of entitlement
ration book1845
meat card1870
ration card1870
ration ticket1871
food card1896
sugar card1917
coupon1918
meat coupon1918
clothing book1943
clothing coupon1943
1871 N.Y. Times 22 Apr. 1/5 Ration tickets, which had been issued at the reservation of Camp Grant recently, were found on the Indians killed during the recent raids.
1938 N. MacOwan Glorious Morning ii. ii. 59 There's food to get. Our ration tickets are only available today.
2004 Bristol Evening Post (Nexis) 30 Sept. 10 Do you want to tell people they can have only a certain number of drinks per night? Perhaps you should issue ration tickets for drinks?
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
rationv.
/ˈraʃn/, U.S. /ˈræʃ(ə)n/, /ˈreɪʃ(ə)n/ 1. transitive. To supply (a person or animal) with a ration or allowance; to limit to a fixed amount of food or other commodity. Also with to and reflexive: to restrict oneself to a certain amount of something.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > providing or receiving food > feed or nourish [verb (transitive)] > supply with provisions
victualc1380
meat1568
provant1599
provision1604
catera1616
bread1797
grub1819
ration1834
vegetate1846
tucker1899
feed1904
the mind > possession > giving > distributing or dealing out > distribute or deal out [verb (transitive)] > assign or allot > in fixed quantities > put on fixed allowance
allowance1775
ration1834
1834 R. C. Gunn Let. 10 May in T. E. Burns & J. R. Skemp Van Diemen's Land Correspondents (1961) 33/2 Assist me by the loan of three labourers for about two months rationed by the Government.
1859 Times 3 Mar. 7/6 The humane provision of rationing immigrants for the first 3 months.
1884 Spectator 4 Oct. 1286/1 He was able by rationing the townsmen as well as his troops to make this supply last to the present time.
1902 G. S. Whitmore Last Maori War ii. 19 We were rationed only to the night of the 8th, and, failing the arrival of pack horses by another route, we should after that evening be without food, unless we could find potatoes.
1929 K. S. Prichard Coonardoo (1961) 88 There he made a great noise about tucker bags which had not been washed or could not be found; rationed the blacks.
1950 N.Z. Jrnl. Agric. Apr. 389/1 During early winter they [sc. ewes] are rationed turnips, fed good hay, and driven off their turnip break on to a large run-off paddock daily.
1987 P. Farmer Away from Home (1988) 20 These days instead of rationing myself to a single roll at breakfast, I took two or even three.
1993 S. Stewart Ramlin Rose ii. 7 When yer rationed to only so much water in a can on a boat a fountain can send yer excited.
ΚΠ
1860 R. F. Burton in Jrnl. Royal Geogr. Soc. 1859 29 303 In the sparse cultivation,..they were rarely able to ration oftener than once a week.
3. transitive. To restrict the amount of (a particular foodstuff, supply, etc.) available for (esp. individual) purchase or consumption to a specified amount, esp. in time of war or shortage; to divide into rations, subject to rationing; to serve out in fixed quantities. Also with to and in extended use: to restrict (an activity, etc.) to a particular amount of time or degree of frequency.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > giving > distributing or dealing out > distribute or deal out [verb (transitive)] > assign or allot > in fixed quantities
allowance1784
ration1870
the mind > possession > giving > distributing or dealing out > distribute or deal out [verb (transitive)] > assign or allot > in fixed quantities > subject (goods) to rationing
ration1870
coupon1940
1870 Daily News 2 Nov. It will not be necessary to ration the bread until the 1st of January.
1873 A. L. Perry Elements Polit. Econ. (ed. 8) 78 The crew of a boat abandoned at sea, among whom the last biscuit had been rationed out.
1920 Conquest Nov. 47/2 In the near future liquid fuel will have to be ‘rationed’ again.
1941 Vogue June 58/2 Wash-and-brush-up your face:..because creams are rationed and soap is not.
1947 Time 24 Nov. 74/3 Music publishers and recording companies were getting together on ‘plug schedules’ to ration out the hits.
1963 H. Burn Drugs, Med. & Man (ed. 2) xvii. 170 Not only bread but also potatoes were rationed, and there were many complaints that students could not get enough to eat.
1981 S. Chitty Gwen John 15 When Véra could no longer stand Gwen John's attentions she rationed her visits to one a week on Mondays.
1987 M. Wesley Not that Sort of Girl (1988) xxx. 161 For three months he had rationed his thoughts of Rose, lest day-dreaming he might drop his guard.
1989 N. Sherry Life Graham Greene I. xxxv. 556 They were down to their last half-bottle of whisky which they now rationed out in teaspoonfuls.
Derivatives
ˈrationed adj.
ΚΠ
1882 Times 20 Oct. 10/1 It was only a rationed field hospital.
1920 Times Lit. Suppl. 1 Apr. 209/2 Compared with..the more or less rationed tables of to-day the stupendous appetite of the Grand Monarque excites one's respect and fear.
1963 A. Wilson Wild Garden 19 In a country like England of strictly rationed petrol I was marooned almost each night for almost four years.
1987 Economist 30 May 72/2 These bureaucrats get their jobs under the..priviligentsia system, whereby Communist party members nominate their friends in return for kickbacks and privileged access to rationed goods.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1548v.1834