To purvey is to supply things to people — goods, food, services, or information — usually as a kind of business, not as a one-off favour. A shop may purvey tea; a firm may purvey legal advice.

To purvey is to supply things to people Purvey就是把東西供應給人 — goods, food, services, or information像貨品、食物、服務、或資訊 — usually as a kind of business通常是一種生意行為, not as a one-off favour而不是幫一次忙而已; a shop may purvey tea一間店可能purvey茶葉; a firm may purvey legal advice一間事務所可能purvey法律建議

The verb is formal and a little old-fashioned. Most people simply say supply, sell, or provide.

The verb is formal and a little old-fashioned這個動詞很正式，也有點老派; most people simply say supply, sell, or provide大部分人就直接說supply、sell、或provide

Though actually, when journalists use it now, they often mean the less physical kind: someone purveys gossip, or purveys a story about the world. That use can sound a little judging, as if the person is handing out something you might not fully trust.

Though actually不過其實, when journalists use it now現在記者用這個字時, they often mean the less physical kind他們常常指比較沒那麼具體的那種: someone purveys gossip有人purvey八卦, or purveys a story about the world或purvey一套對世界的說法; that use can sound a little judging這種用法聽起來會帶點評判意味, as if the person is handing out something you might not fully trust好像那個人在發送一些你不該全信的東西

Long ago, officers of a court or an army could purvey food for a journey — gather supplies as an official job — and a faint grand, official smell still hangs on the word.

Long ago很久以前, officers of a court or an army法庭或軍隊的官員 could purvey food for a journey可以為一趟旅程purvey糧食 — gather supplies as an official job以此作為一項官方工作去籌措物資 — and a faint grand, official smell而一絲宏大、官方的氣息 still hangs on the word至今仍留在這個字上

You do not purvey a sandwich to a friend; you just give it.

You do not purvey a sandwich to a friend你不會用purvey來說給朋友一個三明治; you just give it你就是give給而已