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preparing for future exigencies; cautious; economical; -- sometimes followed by of; as, aprovident man; an animal provident of the future. And of our good and of our dignity, How provident he is. Milton.

Effected by, or referable to, divine direction or superintendence; as, the providential contrivance of thing; a providential escape. -- Prov"i*den"tial*ly, adv.

In a provident manner.

The quality or state of being provident; carefulness; prudence; economy.

Not provident; wanting foresight or forethought; not foreseeing or providing for the future; negligent; thoughtless; as, an improvident man. Improvident soldires! had your watch been good, This sudden mischief never could have fallen. Shak.

Improvidently. [R.]

In a improvident manner. "Improvidently rash." Drayton.

Too provident.

Improvident. [Obs.] "Who for thyself art so unprovident.' Shak.

Taking care; gicing good heed; watchful; cautious; provident; not indifferent heedless, or reckless; -- often follower byof, for, or the infinitive; as, careful of money; careful to do right. Thou hast been careful for us with all this care. 2. Kings iv, 13. What could a careful father more have done Dryden.…

To provide food; to buy, procure, or prepare provisions. [He] providently caters for the sparrow. Shak.

ts of an act, in order that failure or harm may be avoided; prudence in regard to danger; provident care; wariness.

d marking differences. To make an anxious discrimination between the miracle absolute and providential. Trench.

rst; -- opposed to Ant: late; as, the early bird; an early spring; early fruit. Early and provident fear is the mother of safety. Burke. The doorsteps and threshold with the early grass springing up about them. Hawthorne.

Action in reference to the future; provident care; prudence; wise forethought. This seems an unseasonable foresight. Milton. A random expense, without plan or foresight. Burke.

Sagacious; prudent; provident for the future. Bartram.

A thinking or planning beforehand; prescience; premeditation; forecast; provident care. A sphere that will demand from him forethought, courage, and wisdom. I. Taylor.

ersons who are in fact mutually repugnant. -- Happy-go-lucky, trusting to hap or luck; improvident; easy-going. "Happy-go-lucky carelessness." W. Black.

The quality of being improvident; want of foresight or thrift. The improvidence of my neighbor must not make me inhuman. L'Estrange.

A calamity regarded as sent by God, by way of recompense for wrong committed; a providential punishment. "Judgments are prepared for scorners." Prov. xix. 29. "This judgment of the heavens that makes us tremble." Shak.