ration
UK[ˈræʃn]US[ˈræʃn]
n
A fixed amount of food, fuel, etc., allowed to one person, especially during a time of shortage.
n
A fixed amount of something that one is allowed or entitled to, especially a daily allowance of food for a member of the armed forces.
v
To limit someone to a fixed amount of food, fuel, etc.
v
To distribute something in fixed amounts.
Etymology
The word 'ration' entered English in the 18th century from the French word 'ration', meaning 'portion' or 'share'. The French term itself derives from the Latin 'ratio', which originally meant 'reckoning', 'calculation', or 'reason'. This Latin root is from 'ratus', the past participle of 'reri', meaning 'to think' or 'to calculate'. The semantic journey from 'calculation' to a 'calculated or fixed portion' is clear: a ration is a portion determined by logical calculation, especially under conditions of scarcity. This logical connection between reasoned allocation and a measured allowance was firmly established by the time the word was adopted into English, particularly for military and civilian supply contexts.
Analysis
The word 'ration' is a simplex loanword from French. Its spelling and form are treated as a single unit in modern English.
Examples
During the war, each family received a weekly ration of sugar and butter.
The soldiers complained about their meager field rations.
The government had to ration gasoline due to the fuel crisis.