equip

1 of 2

verb

i-ˈkwip 

equipped; equipping

transitive verb

1

: to furnish for service or action by appropriate provisioning

equip an army

2

: dress, array

3

: to make ready : prepare

wasn't equipped to handle the pressures of the job

equip

2 of 2

abbreviation

equipment

Synonyms

Verb

• fit
• prepare
• qualify
• ready
• season
• train

Choose the Right Synonym for equip

furnish, equip, outfit, appoint, accoutre mean to supply one with what is needed.

furnish implies the provision of any or all essentials for performing a function.

a sparsely furnished apartment

equip suggests the provision of something making for efficiency in action or use.

a fully equipped kitchen

outfit implies provision of a complete list or set of articles as for a journey, an expedition, or a special occupation.

outfitted the family for a ski trip

appoint implies provision of complete and usually elegant or elaborate equipment or furnishings.

a lavishly appointed apartment

accoutre suggests the supplying of personal dress or equipment for a special activity.

fully accoutred members of a polar expedition

Examples of equip in a Sentence

Verb

More money was needed to train and equip the troops.

Equipped with a hoe and a shovel, I headed for the garden.

Her training has equipped her to deal with emergencies.

She is well-equipped to deal with emergencies.

Those students are not equipped for the challenges of college.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

While some prisons have taken steps to provide hospice and palliative care to a limited number of residents, many facilities are not equipped to care for a high volume of older adults, a report from the Office of the Inspector General confirms. —Tom Chiodo, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024

My concern is that, despite being fully grown and then some, I just won’t be adequately equipped. —Daisy Jones, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2024

This barrage of sensory stimuli asks more of our cognition than it is equipped to handle. —Richard E. Cytowic, TIME, 23 Dec. 2024

Moscow added thermobaric warheads to the kamikaze drones, which were also equipped with Russian Kometa navigation units and Chinese control boards. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

modification of Anglo-French eskiper, eschiper to load on board a ship, embark, outfit, man, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English scipian equip a ship, scip ship

First Known Use

Verb

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing equip

• re-equip

Kids Definition

equip

verb

i-ˈkwip

equipped; equipping

1

: to provide with the necessary materials or supplies for service or action

2

: to make ready : prepare