victualling

victualling

English

Alternative forms

• victualing

Verb

victualling

1. present participle of victual

Noun

victualling (uncountable)

1. (especially nautical, military) The process of supplying food.
   • 1598, Robert Barret, The Theorike and Practike of Moderne Warres, London: William Posonby, Book 5, Dialogue 4, p. 164,

     The High Treasurer of the Armie […] hath […] the superintendencie of the victualling of the campe […]

   • 1957, Neville Shute, On the Beach, New York: William Morrow & Co., Chapter 2,

     […] Lieutenant Hirsch appeared with a sheaf of signals in his hand. He took these from the young man and read them through. Mostly they dealt with routine matters of the fuelling and victualling, but one from the Third Naval Member’s office was unexpected.

2. (especially nautical, military) Provisions of food.
   • 1624, Patrick Simson (editor), The Historie of the Church, London: John Bellamie, Book 2, Centurie VI, p. 361,

     Zosymas a monke is commended […] for the miracle of the Lyon, who slew the Asse that caried his victualing to Caesarea, and likewise the Lyon by his mandate was compelled to beare that same burden which the Asse had borne to the portes of Caesarea.

   • 1693, George Smalridge, “Julius Caesar” in Plutarch’s Lives, Translated from the Greek by Several Hands, London: Jacob Tonson, Volume 4, p. 459,

     He was oblig’d often to set upon the Enemy, and skirmish with them; for he wanted both Victualling for his Men, and Forage for his Horse […]

   • 1796, Thomas Spence, The Meridian Sun of Liberty; or, the Whole Rights of Man Displayed and Most Accurately Defined, London, for the author, p. 10,

     […] as each man has a vote in all the affairs of his parish, and for his own sake must wish well to the public, the land is let in very small farms, which makes employment for a greater number of hands, and makes more victualling of all kinds be raised.

Derived terms

• victualling house