n.
- Food fit for human consumption.
- victuals Food supplies; provisions.
v., -ualed, or -ualled, -ual·ing, or -ual·ling, -uals, or -uals. v.tr.
To provide with food.
v.intr.
- To lay in food supplies.
- To eat.
[Alteration (influenced by Late Latin vīctuālia, provisions) of Middle English vitaille, from Old French, from Late Latin vīctuālia, provisions, from neuter pl. of Latin vīctuālis, of nourishment, from vīctus, nourishment, from past participle of vīvere, to live.]
USAGE NOTE The modern pronunciation of victual, (vĭt'l), represents an Anglicized pronunciation of the Old French form vitaille, which was borrowed into English in the early 14th century. The modern English spelling reflects the fact that in both French and English the word was sometimes spelled with a c, and later also with a u, under the influence of its Late Latin ancestor victuālia, meaning "provisions." The word is now occasionally spelled vittle rather than victual, but in either case the pronunciation is (vĭt'l).
