provisor, provisour

[Fr. proviseur, from Lat. proviso rem, acc us. of provisor, from pro vis us, pa. par. of pro video =to provide (q. v.).] I. Ord. Lang.: One who provides; a provider. *II. Ecclesiastical: 1. A person appointed by the pope to a benifice before it was vacant by the death of the incumbent, and to the prejudice of the rightful patron. "Whoever disturbs any patron in the presentation to a living by virtue of any papal provision, such provisor shall pay fine and ransom to the king at his will, and be imprisoned till he renounces such provision."- Black stone : Comment ., bk. iv., ch. 8. 2. The purveyor, steward, treasurer, or manciple of a religious house. prō-vi-sõr-i-ly, adv. [English provisory; -ly.] In a provisory manner; conditionally; with a proviso. †prō-vi-şõr-ship, subst . [Eng. provisor ; -ship.] The office of a provisor. "A worthy fellow he is: pray let me entreat for The provisor ship of your horse." Webster: Duche of Malfy, 1. 2.