victual

Etymology 1

From Middle English vitaile, vitaylle (“food; food and drink, especially as needed for sustenance; (usually in the plural) food and drink stores or supplies; rations; provision of food and drink as a military stipend; crops”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman vitaile, vitaille [and other forms] and Old French vitaile, vitaille, victaille (“food, provisions, victuals”) [and other forms] (modern French victuaille), from Late Latin victuālia, the neuter plural of victuālis (“nutritional”), from Latin victus (“that which sustains life, diet, nourishment, provision”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship from nouns). Vīctus is derived from vīvō (“to live; to be alive, survive; to reside in”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- (“to live”)) + -tus (suffix forming action nouns from verbs). The spelling of the modern English and French words has been influenced by Late Latin victuālia, though the pronunciation of the Middle English, Anglo-Norman, and Middle French words has been retained.

noun

1. (archaic) Food fit for human (or occasionally animal) consumption.
   Robin promis'd me / A' my winter vittle; / Fient haet he had but three / Goos feathers and whittle. a. 1797, Robert Burns, “[No. 543] Robin Shure in Hairst.[…]”, in James Johnson, compiler, The Scots Musical Museum:[…], volume V, Edinburgh: […] James Johnson[…], published 1796, →OCLC, page 562
2. (archaic, chiefly in the plural) Food supplies; provisions.
3. (specifically, obsolete)
   1. Edible plants.
   2. (Scotland) Grain of any kind.
      But if the beast and branks be spar'd / Till kye be gaun without the herd, / An' a' the vittel in the yard, / An' theckit right, / I mean your ingle-side to guard / Ae winter night. 13 September 1785, Robert Burns, “Epistles in Verse. To J. Lapraik.”, in R[obert] H[artley] Cromek, compiler, Reliques of Robert Burns; Consisting Chiefly of Original Letters, Poems, and Critical Observations on Scottish Songs, London: […] J. M’Creery, for T[homas] Cadell, and W[illiam] Davies,[…], published 1808, →OCLC, page 391

Etymology 2

From Middle English vitailen (“to provide (someone, a castle, a ship, etc., or oneself) with supplies of food, drink, or other needs; (figuratively) to load (a ship with troops and materiel); to fortify, nourish”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman vitailer, vitailler, and Old French vitailler, victuailler [and other forms], from vitaile, vitaille, victaille (“food, provisions, victuals”) (see further at etymology 1) + -er (a variant of -ier (suffix forming infinitives of first conjugation verbs)).

verb

1. (transitive, reflexive, chiefly military, nautical) To provide (military troops, a place, a ship, etc., or oneself) with a stock of victuals or food; to provision.
   Spinola Ambrogio Spinola, 1st Marquess of Los Balbases] continueth in his trenches before Breda, and victualeth and strengtheneth Breda, which being done, it is thought he will besiege Bergen op Zoom. 1625 July, Walter Yonge, edited by George Roberts, The Diary of Walter Yonge, Esq.[…], Written at Colyton and Axminster, Co. Devon, from 1604 to 1628, London: Printed for the Camden Society, by J[ohn] B[oyer] Nichols and Son,[…], published 1848, →OCLC, page 85
   He victualleth his soldiers during the time they are upon the guard, either about the palace or abroad in the wars: whereas it is contrary in the King's country; for the Cingalese soldiers bear their own expenses. 1681, Robert Knox, “[Nineteen Years’ Captivity in the Kingdom of Conde Uda in the Highlands of Ceylon,[…].] Concerning Some Other Nations, and Chiefly European that Now Live in the Island. The Portuguese and Dutch.”, in Edward Arber, compiler, An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature, volume I, London: […] E. Arber,[…], published 15 November 1877, →OCLC, part II, stanza XXXIX, page 435
   I could here ſet down the very number of Acres that would bear Bread and Drink, Corn, together with Fleſh, Butter, and Cheeſe, ſufficient to Victual nine Millions of Perſons, as they are Victualled in Ships and regular Families; but I ſhall only ſay in general that 12,000,00. will do it, […] 1683, J. S., “[A Discourse of Trade.[…].] That the People and Territories of the King of England are Naturaly as Considerable for Wealth and Strength as Those of France.”, in The Present State of England. Part III. and Part IV.[…], London: […] [R. Holt] for William Whitwood,[…], →OCLC, part IV, page 59
   These veterans were commissioned to defend the place to the last extremity; and, as due time had been given for preparation, the town was victualled for fifteen months' provisions, and even the crops growing in the vega had been garnered before their prime, to save them from the hands of the enemy. 1838, William H[ickling] Prescott, “War of Granada.—Conquest of Baza.—Submission of El Zagal. 1487–1489.”, in History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella.[…], 3rd edition, volume I, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt, →OCLC, pages 308–309
   In 1512 an agreement was made between him Henry VIII] and his admiral, Sir Edward Howard, which affords an interesting view of the manner in which fleets of war were then maintained. […] It was also stipulated that, "forasmuch as our Sovereign lord at his costs and charges victualeth the said army and navy, the said admiral shall therefore reserve for the king the one-half of all gains and winnings of the war,[…]" 1857 March, I. P. W., “Historical Sketches of British Commerce.—No. 3. A.D. 1400–1600.”, in The Sailor’s Magazine, volume 29, number 7, New York, N.Y.: The American Seamen’s Friend Society,[…], →OCLC, page 194, column 2
2. (intransitive, chiefly military, nautical) To lay in or procure food supplies.
   [Letter from Sir William Drury to Sir William Cecil, 3d April 1568 (Julian calendar).] The Lord Fleming [i.e., John Fleming, 5th Lord Fleming], notwithstanding he still victualleth and maketh provision, he hath offered three personages of as great livehood as himself to enter caution and surety unto the [James Stewart, 1st] Earl of Moray, that he shall only hold the place at the devotion and service of the young King, and to no other. 13 April 1568, William Drury, “Containing Matters of State from the Earl of Moray’s Acceptation of the Regency in the Month of August 1567, till the Queen’s Retreat into England in the Month of May 1568”, in Robert Keith, edited by John Parker Lawson, History of the Affairs of Church and State in Scotland, from the Beginning of the Reformation to the Year 1568.[…], volume II, Edinburgh: […] [Alexander Laurie and Co.] for the Spottiswoode Society, published 1845, →OCLC, page 792
   A letter from Lt.-Gen. [John] Burgoyne to Maj.-Gen. [William] Heath, Jan. 24. 1778. […] [T]he fleet was fully victualled for four months, for the whole of the land-army and ſeamen. 1779 March, “America”, in The Scots Magazine; or, General Repository of Literature, History, and Politics, volume XLI (volume, New Series), Edinburgh: […] A. Murray and J. Cochran, →OCLC, pages 143–145
3. (intransitive) To eat.