purvey

American  

[per-vey] / pərˈveɪ /

verb (used with object)

1. to provide, furnish, or supply (especially food or provisions) usually as a business or service.

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purvey British  

verb

1. to sell or provide (commodities, esp foodstuffs) on a large scale

2. to publish or make available (lies, scandal, etc)

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noun

1. the food and drink laid on at a wedding reception, etc

Etymology

Origin of purvey

1250–1300; Middle English purveien < Anglo-French purveier < Latin prōvidēre to foresee, provide for. See provide

Explanation

Use the verb purvey to describe the activities of businesses that supply things like food, like the bakery that purveys the best bread in the city. Purvey, which rhymes with survey, is something that a restaurant or store does: offer us food or supplies that we pay for, like the airport shop that purveys books, magazines and other things that travelers need for their flights. A second meaning refers to spreading an idea — like gossip — usually to a large audience, like when someone purveys embarrassing details about your dating life. Ouch.

Example Sentences

Many of us thought that making blue verification checkmarks available for purchase would lead to an impersonation free-for-all and severely degrade Twitter’s ability to purvey good information.

From Slate • Feb. 6, 2023

If it’s egregious for politicians and celebrities to purvey misinformation, it’s far worse when the lie peddler is a physician.

From Washington Post • Sep. 12, 2022

Only the aptly gaudy costumes by Susan Hilferty suggest the Ziegfeldian overabundance that shows like “Funny Girl” were designed to purvey.

From New York Times • Apr. 24, 2022

But the question is in the execution of these new plots, and specifically how ardently this spinoff will purvey a skewed image of justice’s inner workings, as is the tendency of Wolf’s other work.

From Salon • Sep. 5, 2018

When you saw the heading, "American Duchesses," you thought I was going to purvey some piquant scandal about high-placed ladies; and you straightway began to read my essay.

From Post-Prandial Philosophy by Allen, Grant

Related Words

• vend