purveyance

American  

[per-vey-uhns] / pərˈveɪ əns /

noun

1. the act of purveying.

2. something that is purveyed, as provisions.

3. English Law. a prerogative of the crown, abolished in 1660, allowing provisions, supplies, or services for the sovereign or the royal household to be purchased or acquired at an appraised value.

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purveyance British  

/ pəˈveɪəns /

noun

1. history the collection or requisition of provisions for a sovereign

2. rare the act of purveying

3. rare that which is purveyed

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Other Word Forms

• nonpurveyance
  noun

Etymology

Origin of purveyance

1225–75; purvey + -ance; replacing Middle English purvea ( u ) nce, purvya ( u ) nce < Old French purveance < Latin prōvidentia. See providence

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

purveyance

"But it is contrary to our fundamental norms to permit government-sanctioned attacks on the purveyance of ideas, even when those ideas are repugnant."

From Reuters ● Mar. 21, 2014

Having saved their historic building from the knacker's yard in 1993, the Horse Hospital is now gearing up to celebrate 20 years of alternative pop-cultural purveyance.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 2, 2013

There was a purveyance of ribs of beef and mutton and ale, “stock-fish, if Lent,” and other recommendations for “the comers to the Dirige at night.”

From Amenities of Literature Consisting of Sketches and Characters of English Literature by Isaac Disraeli

The same fate attended an attempt of a like nature, to free the nation from the burden of purveyance.

From The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.I., Part D. From Elizabeth to James I. by David Hume

Of course, fertile invention was brought to bear in its purveyance, but that only made it the more exciting.

From The One-Way Trail A story of the cattle country by Ridgwell Cullum