supply line
Military provision route
A supply line is a route or chain through which essential materials—food, fuel, ammunition, equipment—flow from source to destination.
The term originates in military logistics, where cutting enemy supply lines can be as decisive as winning battles: The army stretched its supply lines dangerously thin.
The concept extends to any system dependent on continuous provisioning: The pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in global supply lines.
Enclosed connecting walkway
- arteryOxygen-rich blood conduit
- pathwayDesignated route for travel
- channelPassage for transmission
- conduitTube conveying fluid or cables
passage · highway · roadway · rail · shipping lane · pipeline · trail · network
Guarded traveling group
- logisticsCoordination of complex activities
- ammunitionWeapon projectiles and charges
- rationsControlled food portions
- reinforcementsAdditional troops sent in
depot · base · outpost · frontline · theater · campaign · blockade · interdiction
Allocation across recipients
- wholesaleBulk sales to merchants
- retailSales to end users
- warehouseBulk goods storage building
- inventoryCatalog of held assets
shipment · freight · cargo · procurement · fulfillment · vendor · manufacturer · consumer
Support given freely
- reliefEasing of distress
- emergencySerious sudden danger
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- refugeePerson fleeing danger abroad
food · water · medicine · shelter · NGO · convoy · airdrop · distribution
Forceful interruption of process
- interdictionAuthoritative prohibition or blockade
- blockadeSealing off a place
- severedCut off completely
- cutSeverance or reduction
stretched · overextended · exposed · sabotage · attack · protection · secure · defend
corridor
Enclosed connecting walkway
conduit · passage · highway · roadway · rail · shipping lane · pipeline · trail · network · connection
convoy
Guarded traveling group
- logisticsCoordination of complex activities
- ammunitionWeapon projectiles and charges
- rationsControlled food portions
reinforcements · depot · base · outpost · frontline · theater · campaign · blockade · interdiction · airdrop
distribution
Allocation across recipients
inventory · shipment · freight · cargo · procurement · fulfillment · vendor · manufacturer · consumer · import
aid
Support given freely
refugee · food · water · medicine · shelter · NGO · convoy · airdrop · distribution · crisis
disruption
Forceful interruption of process
- interdictionAuthoritative prohibition or blockade
- blockadeSealing off a place
- severedCut off completely
cut · stretched · overextended · exposed · sabotage · attack · protection · secure · defend · breakdown
- logisticsshipping, delivery, warehouses, warehousing, shipment
- strategystrategy, grand strategy, tactics, tactic, tactical
- water systemswater pipes, water pipe, water storage, irrigation ditches, water distribution
- routesroad, path, route, highway, freeway
- trade routesspice route, silk road, Silk Road, cargo routes, merchant routes
- utilitieselectricity, public utilities, gas service, gas, power
supply linefront line
Combat's forward edge
front · battle line · firing line · forward position · combat zone
supply lineblockade
Sealing off a place
siege · interdiction · supply disruption · stranglehold · bottleneck
line, supply, supplies, supplied, supplier, supplying, linear, suppliers, resupply