Diet vs. Ration

Published: 8 Mar, 2022

Dietnoun

The food and beverage a person or animal consumes.

‘The diet of the Giant Panda consists mainly of bamboo.’;

Rationnoun

A portion of some limited resource allocated to a person or group.

Dietnoun

(countable) A controlled regimen of food and drink, as to gain or lose weight or otherwise influence health.

Rationverb

(transitive) To supply with a ration; to limit (someone) to a specific allowance of something.

‘We rationed ourselves to three sips of water a day until we were rescued.’;

Dietnoun

(by extension) Any habitual intake or consumption.

‘He's been reading a steady diet of nonfiction for the last several years.’;

Rationverb

(transitive) To portion out (especially during a shortage of supply); to limit access to.

‘By the third day on the raft, we had to ration our water.’;

Dietnoun

(usually capitalized as a proper noun) A council or assembly of leaders; a formal deliberative assembly.

‘They were given representation of some important diet committees.’;

Rationverb

(transitive) To restrict (an activity etc.)

‘Our present health care system is rationed only to those who can afford it because of unnecessary high cost, lack of insurance coverage by 47 million people, and exorbitant prescription prices.’;

Dietnoun

The proceedings under a criminal libel.

Rationnoun

A fixed daily allowance of provisions assigned to a soldier in the army, or a sailor in the navy, for his subsistence.

Dietnoun

(Scotland) A clerical or ecclesiastical function in Scotland.

‘a diet of worship’;

Rationnoun

Hence, a certain portion or fixed amount dealt out; an allowance; an allotment.

Dietadjective

(of a food or beverage) Containing less fat, salt, sugar, or calories than normal, or claimed to have such.

‘diet soda’;

Rationverb

To supply with rations, as a regiment.

Dietadjective

Having certain traits subtracted.

‘You folks reduce it to the bible only as being authoritative, impoverishing the faith. "Christianity Lite", diet Christianity for those who can't handle the Whole Meal.’;

Rationnoun

the food allowance for one day (especially for service personnel);

‘the rations should be nutritionally balanced’;

Dietverb

(transitive) To regulate the food of (someone); to put on a diet.

Rationnoun

a fixed portion that is allotted (especially in times of scarcity)

Dietverb

(intransitive) To modify one's food and beverage intake so as to decrease or increase body weight or influence health.

‘I've been dieting for six months, and have lost some weight.’;

Rationverb

restrict the consumption of a relatively scarce commodity, as during war;

‘Bread was rationed during the siege of the city’;

Dietverb

(obsolete) To eat; to take one's meals.

Rationverb

distribute in rations, as in the army;

‘Cigarettes are rationed’;

Dietverb

To cause to take food; to feed.

Dietnoun

Course of living or nourishment; what is eaten and drunk habitually; food; victuals; fare.

Dietnoun

A course of food selected with reference to a particular state of health; prescribed allowance of food; regimen prescribed.

‘To fast like one that takes diet.’;

Dietnoun

A legislative or administrative assembly in Germany, Poland, and some other countries of Europe; a deliberative convention; a council; as, the Diet of Worms, held in 1521.

Dietverb

To cause to take food; to feed.

Dietverb

To cause to eat and drink sparingly, or by prescribed rules; to regulate medicinally the food of.

‘She diets him with fasting every day.’;

Dietverb

To eat; to take one's meals.

‘Let him . . . diet in such places, where there is good company of the nation, where he traveleth.’;

Dietverb

To eat according to prescribed rules; to ear sparingly; as, the doctor says he must diet.

Dietnoun

a prescribed selection of foods