Is "supply" the inverse of "apply"?

Question

We can say "The add function is applied to values 1 and 2". Can we say equivalently "The values 1 and 2 are supplied to the add function"?

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 04 '11 at 17:40

It's dangerous to generalize that supply is the inverse (or opposite) of apply. It might sound that way when speaking of functions, or possibly other things, but there are many nuances to the usage of supply and apply that would make most reversals sound strange or contrived.

In fact, there would be many cases where they are used nearly as synonyms not reversals.

The machine applies a magnetic field.

and

The machine supplies a magnetic field.

Mind you,

A magnetic field is supplied by the machine.

or

A magnetic field is applied by the machine.

Are perfectly correct. So what's going on here? How can they be near synonyms and inverse at the same time? I think supply/apply are not nearly the same inverse pair as, say, input/output. It's not that cut and dried.

score 3 · Answer 2 · 2011-06-22T15:45:08.253

3

Yes, we can.

Similarly we can say

The machine is applied to flour and sugar to make cake

or

Flour and sugar is supplied to the machine to make cake

though this sounds a little contrived.

Supply is the inverse of apply only in certain contexts.

edited Jun 22 '11 at 15:45

answered Feb 04 '11 at 05:52

are there similarities for other word pairs too? Like "submit" vs "admit" or something (I understand that this one isn't such a pair :))? – Johannes Schaub - litb Feb 04 '11 at 07:43
I don't agree. "The machine is applied to flour and sugar to make cake" sounds strange and contrived. – ghoppe Feb 04 '11 at 17:26

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 04 '11 at 05:46

2

In this context, your syntax is correct. You apply a function to one or more parameters, and you supply one or more parameters to a function.

answered Feb 04 '11 at 05:46

Shaun

2,752

Is "supply" the inverse of "apply"?

3 Answers3