I.a.
I. Neutr.
A. Lit., to see forwards or before one's self, to see in the distance, to discern, descry (very rare): “ubi, quid petatur, procul provideri nequeat,” Liv. 44, 35, 12.—
B. Trop.
1. To be provident or cautious, to act with foresight, to take care (rare but class.; syn. praecaveo): actum de te est, nisi provides. Cic. Fam. 9, 18, 4; id. Rab. Post. 1, 1: “nisi providisses, tibi ipsi pereundum fuisset,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 61, § 157.—
2. To see to, look after, care for; to provide, make preparation or provision for any thing (freq. and class.); constr. absol., with dat., de, ut, ne: multum in posterum providerunt, quod, etc., Cic. Agr. 2, 33, 91: “nihil me curassis, ego mihi providero,” Plaut. Most. 2, 2, 93: “rei frumentariae,” Caes. B. G. 5, 8: “condicioni omnium civium,” Cic. Cael. 9, 22: “ut consulas omnibus, ut provideas saluti,” id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 10, § 31.—Impers. pass.: “a dis vitae hominum consuli et provideri,” Cic. N. D. 1, 2, 4: “est autem de Brundusio providendum,” id. Phil. 11, 11, 26; cf.: “de re frumentariā,” Caes. B. C. 3, 34: “de frumento,” id. B. G. 3, 3: “ut quam rectissime agantur omnia providebo,” Cic. Fam. 1, 2, 4.—So with ne, Cic. Verr. 1, 17, 51: “cura et provide, ne quid ei desit,” id. Att. 11, 3, 3: “ne qua civitas suis finibus recipiat, a me provisum est,” Caes. B. G. 7, 20; cf. impers.: “provisum est, ne, etc.,” Ter. Phorm. 5, 2, 14: “provisum atque praecautum est, ne quid, etc.,” Liv. 36, 17.—
II. Act.
A. Lit., to see or perceive in the distance (very rare): “nave provisā,” Suet. Tib. 14; id. Dom. 14.—
B. Trop.
1. In respect of time, to see or perceive beforehand, to foresee; to see before or earlier (class.): si qui, quae eventura sunt, provideant, Pac. ap. Gell. 14, 1, 34 (Trag. Rel. v. 407 Rib.); cf. Cic. Fin. 1, 14, 47: “rem, quam mens providit,” Lucr. 4, 884: “quod ego, priusquam loqui coepisti, sensi atque providi,” Cic. Vatin. 2, 4; cf. Caes. B. G. 7, 30: “medicus morbum ingravescentem ratione providet, insidias imperator, tempestates gubernator,” Cic. Div. 2, 6, 16: “providere, quid futurum sit,” id. Mur. 2, 4: “quod adhuc conjecturā provideri possit,” id. Att. 1, 1, 1: “tempestas ante provisa,” id. Tusc. 3, 22, 52: “ratio explorata atque provisa,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 6, § 15: “non hercle te provideram,” Plaut. As. 2, 4, 44: “aliquem,” Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 69.—
2. To see to, look after, care for, give attention to; to prepare or provide for any thing: “eas cellas provident, ne habeant in solo umorem,” Varr. R. R. 3, 10, 4: “ut res tempusque postulat, provideas atque administres,” Cic. Fam. 14, 21: “providentia haec potissimum providet, ut, etc.,” id. N. D. 2, 22, 58: “omnia,” Sall. C. 60, 4: “ea, quae ad usum navium pertinerent,” Caes. B. G. 3, 9: “rem frumentariam,” id. ib. 6, 9; cf.: “frumento exercitui proviso,” id. ib. 6, 44: “provisi ante commeatūs,” Tac. A. 15, 4: “verbaque provisam rem non invita sequentur,” Hor. A. P. 311: “omnia quae multo ante memoi provisa repones,” Verg. G. 1, 167; cf.: providebam Dominum in conspectu meo, kept in view, i. e. in mind, Vulg. Psa. 15, 8.—
3. Providere aliquid, to prevent, obviate an evil (syn. cavere): “neque omnino facere aut providere quicquam poterant,” Sall. J. 99, 2 Kritz: “quicquid provideri potest, provide,” Cic. Att. 5, 11, 1: “quae consilio provideri poterunt, cavebuntur,” id. ib. 10, 16, 2; Liv. 36, 17, 2; Plin. 34, 6, 14, § 30 Sillig; 34, 7, 18, § 40; Plin. Ep. 3, 9, 6.—Hence,
A. prōvĭ-dens , entis, P. a., foreseeing, provident, prudent (class.): “homo multum providens,” Cic. Fam. 6, 6, 9.—Comp.: “id est providentius,” more prudent, Cic. Fam. 3, 1, 1.—Sup.: “providentissimus quisque,” Tac. H. 1, 85; Plin. Ep. 9, 13, 6.—Adv.: prōvĭdenter , with foresight, providently, prudently, Sall. J. 90, 1; Plin. Pan. 1; Dig. 47, 3, 1.—Comp.: “quanto melius quanto providentius,” Quint. Decl. 14, 8.—Sup.: “providentissime,” Cic. N. D. 3, 40, 94; Plin. Ep. 10, 61 (69), 1; 10, 77 (81), 1.—*