Provision as a distinct clause: a complete linguistic expression that supplies an operative legal rule, not an incomplete idea. The term provision denotes a distinct clause or stipulation in a statute, contract, or instrument that furnishes a complete rule or principle governing the situation to which it applies; an incomplete idea, even if styled as a section, does not qualify as a provision because it fails to provide a whole rule for observance. Authoritative references (Century Dictionary, Words and Phrases, Black's Law Dictionary) uniformly treat a provision as the actual linguistic expression of a legislative idea.