cater
[key-ter]
- to provide food, service, etc., as for a party or wedding: to cater for a banquet.
- to provide or supply what amuses, is desired, or gives pleasure, comfort, etc. (usually followed by to or for): to cater to popular demand; to cater to an invalid.
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- to provide food and service for: to cater a party.
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Origin of cater
Synonyms
See more synonyms for cater on Thesaurus.com2. humor, indulge, please.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for cater
Contemporary Examples
And you can expect designers and retailers to cater to them too.
Department stores opened to cater to an increasingly powerful middle class that no longer felt shy about displaying its wealth.
American field kitchens arrived with everything to cater to the raw hunger of battle, including ice cream machines.
Of course, sites like Homeaway have been around since 2005, but they cater to a second home clientele.
Gambling in Macau is often set in HKD instead of the local Pataca, and businesses that cater to visitors accept Hong Kong Dollars.
Historical Examples
The only permanent citizens are the ones who cater to those on the way through.
Arm of the LawHarry Harrison
Are you going to cater to the whims and prejudices of people?
Susan B. AnthonyAlma Lutz
If he could cater for a month, no expense should be grudged; as for the future, he thrust it from his mind.
The Young DukeBenjamin Disraeli
When dealing with childish persons you have to cater to their whims.
Greener Than You ThinkWard Moore
"I can be friends with you, but you can't be friends with me, Cater; it isn't in you to know how," he said.
cater
- (intr; foll by for or to) to provide what is required or desired (for)to cater for a need; cater to your tastes
- (when intr, foll by for) to provide food, services, etc (for)we cater for parties; to cater a banquet
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Word Origin
C16: from earlier catour purchaser, variant of acatour, from Anglo-Norman acater to buy, ultimately related to Latin acceptāre to accept
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for cater
v.
"provide food for," c.1600, from Middle English catour (n.) "buyer of provisions" (c.1400; late 13c. as a surname), a shortening of Anglo-French achatour "buyer" (Old North French acatour, Old French achatour, 13c., Modern French acheteur), from Old French achater "to buy," originally "to buy provisions," perhaps from Vulgar Latin *accaptare, from Latin ad- "to" + captare "to take, hold," frequentative of capere "to take" (see capable).
Or else from Vulgar Latin *accapitare "to add to one's capital," with second element from verbal stem of Latin caput (genitive capitis); see capital (adj.). Figuratively from 1650s. Related: Catered; catering.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper