▪ I. preˈpare, n.
[f. prepare v.]
1. The act of preparing; preparation. Obs. or dial.
| 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) II. 24 Beseikand him that he wald mak prepair In Albione sen he wes prince and air. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 17 b, Shortly such prepare should be made, that he should see and proue, that [etc.]. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, iv. i. 131. 1594 T. Bedingfield tr. Machiavelli's Florentine Hist. (1595) 73 You see the prepare of your adversaries. 1633 Earl of Manchester Al Mondo (1636) 112 Delay not thy prepare for death. a 1810 Tannahill Meg o' the Glen Poems (1846) 143 Meg o' the glen set aff to the fair, Wi' ruffles, an' ribbons, an' meikle prepare. |
2. A substance used to prepare stuff for a dye.
| 1874 W. Crookes Dyeing & Calico-print. ii. vii. 542 As ‘prepares’ for steam-colours, all the antimonial compounds hitherto tried have shown themselves inferior to tin. 1893 Thorpe Dict. App. Chem. III. 57/1 It is also used as a ‘prepare’ for steam colours in calico-printing. |
▪ II. prepare, v.
(prɪˈpɛə(r))
Also (chiefly Sc.) 6 præpare, prepayre, 6–8 prepair.
[a. F. préparer (14–15th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. præparāre to make ready beforehand, prepare, f. præ, pre- A. 1 + parāre to make ready.]
As in other verbs denoting a process (e.g. bake, build, cook, make) the construction is or was preparing († in or a-preparing, = in preparation) to form progressive tenses of the passive voice = is or was being prepared, was very common in the 17th and 18th c., and is still in colloquial use. (See preparing vbl. n., and -ing2.)
1. a. trans. To put beforehand into a suitable condition for some action; to set in order previously for some purpose; to get ready, make ready, put in readiness; to fit out, equip.
| 1466 in Archæologia (1887) L. i. 49 Many moo small thingis as syngyng and Redyng and preparing the bookis and Turnyng theroff to the dyvine service afore it begyne. 1526 Tindale Luke iii. 4 The voyce off a cryar in wyldernes, prepare the waye off the lorde, make hys pathes straight. 1605 Shakes. Lear i. iv. 280 Prepare my Horses. 1616 T. Gataker in Ussher's Lett. (1686) 37, I should be glad to hear..that the second part..were preparing, or fully prepared for the Press. 1703 Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1732) 74 Anointed and prepair'd for the Burial. 1793 Smeaton Edystone L. §241 While the center plug of this course was preparing to be fixed. 1846 J. Baxter Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4) II. 326 In choosing and preparing the bud, fix on one seated at about the middle of a healthy shoot of the midsummer growth. |
b. To bring into a state of mental or spiritual readiness; to incline or dispose beforehand; to make mentally ready or fit for something.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 162 b, Prepare our hertes to god, makyng inuocacyon for grace. 1561 J. Daus tr. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573) 217 These thynges..prepare also the reader and hearer to the treatise now followyng. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 555 And now prepare thee for another sight. a 1703 Burkitt On N.T. Mark xiv. 72 His sinful equivocation prepared him for a downright denial. 1898 Edna Lyall Hope the Hermit xxx, You do not understand... I am trying to prepare you... He is dead. |
c. To get ready by previous study, as a speech or sermon for delivery, a piece for recitation, a lesson for repetition or inspection; to ‘get up’. Also absol. (Sometimes passing into 7 b.)
| 1683 Wood Life 21 May (O.H.S.) III. 53 Peter Lancaster, a student of Civill Law, read a copie of English verses (for they had not time enough given to prepare). 1886 G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. xiii, In this manner I prepared almost all my sermons that summer. Mod. The boys are preparing their lessons. The speech was not well prepared. |
d. To fit or get ready (a person) by preliminary instruction or training (for college, an examination, etc.).
| 1891 Spectator 5 Dec. 817 Advt., Boys from 8 to 14 years of age are prepared for the Public Schools. 1900 Academy 15 Sept. 216/2 For ten years he has ‘prepared’ (Anglice, crammed) pupils for Army and other examinations. |
e. to be prepared: to be in a state of readiness, ready; to be mentally ready, inclined, disposed (for, † to a thing); to be in a condition or position to do something. Also in extended sense, to be willing or determined to do something. be prepared, the motto of the Scout and Guide organizations.
| 1579 Poore Knights Palace C iij b, Who caryed forth the Amner's hutch unto the Porters gate, And freely gave unto the poore which were preparde therat. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. ii. 98, I am prepar'd: here is my keene-edg'd Sword. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 48 The rest who are washed and prepared to pray. 1790 Washington Sp. to both Ho. Congress 8 Jan., To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual ways of preserving peace. 1895 Pall Mall G. 8 Oct. 1/3 He was prepared to deal with every..question on its merits. 1902 G. B. Shaw Mrs Warren's Profession Pref. p. ix, Nor am I prepared to accept the verdict of the medical gentlemen who would compulsorily sanitate and register Mrs Warren. 1908 R. S. S. Baden-Powell Scouting for Boys i. 20 The badge..of the first class scout consists of a brass arrow head with the motto on it ‘be prepared’. Ibid. 48 The scouts' motto is founded on my initials, it is: be prepared. Ibid. 49 A scout..must Be Prepared at any time to save life. 1939 G. B. Shaw Geneva i. 13, I came here to place it before a body of persons of European distinction. I am not prepared to discuss it with an irresponsible young woman. 1948 E. Gowers Plain Words vi. 40 The recipient of a letter may feel better..if he is told that the Minister ‘is not prepared to approve’ than he would have done if the letter had said ‘the Minister does not approve’. Ibid. 41 ‘The Board have examined your application and they are prepared to allocate 60 coupons for this production. I am accordingly to enclose this number of coupons.’.. Prepared to allocate should be have allocated. Since the coupons are enclosed, the preparatory stage is clearly over. 1961 New Eng. Bible Acts x. 47 Is anyone prepared to withhold the water for baptism from these persons? 1963 A. Christie Clocks xxvii. 229 What I say to you is: ‘Be prepared.’ And I don't mean it in the Boy Scout sense. 1972 J. Poyer Chinese Agenda (1973) xiv. 190 It's better to be prepared..that's what they taught us in the Boy Scouts. 1976 Daily Tel. 20 July 2/1 The Government was not prepared to fight for realistic exclusive zones for British fishermen. |
2. intr. for refl. To put oneself, or things, in readiness; to get ready, make preparation.
| 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xi. (Percy Soc.) 43 Nothyng prepensyng how they dyd prepare To scourge them selfe and bryng them in a snare. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, v. ii. 398 Prepare we for our Marriage. 1611 Bible Amos iv. 12 Prepare to meete thy God, O Israel. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 86 When they prepare to prayer. 1741 Richardson Pamela (1824) I. xlix. 377 A prudent mind will be always preparing till prepared. 1791 Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest iv, And bade her prepare to quit the abbey. 1889 Spectator 19 Oct., The war against which he..incessantly prepares. 1906 D. W. Forrest Author. Chr. iii. ii. 122 He [God] has prepared from of old for the emergencies of every passing hour. |
† 3. refl. and intr. To make preparation for a journey; to get ready to go (to, into, etc. a place); hence, to go, repair. Obs.
| 1510 Virgilius (1812) 1 He raysed a great armey..and prepared hym towarde the towne. 1570 Foxe A. & M. (ed. 2) 377/2 Vnles he would prepare hymselfe into Asia. c 1585 Peele Sir Clyomon Wks. (Rtldg.) 506/2 To Denmark will I straight prepare. a 1662 Heylin Hist. Presbyt. v. (1670) 220 With these Instructions he prepares to the Court of Scotland. 1784 R. Bage Barham Downs II. 250 We are actually preparing for England. |
4. a. trans. To get or have in readiness beforehand; to provide, furnish. Now arch. or merged in 1.
| 1535 Coverdale Ps. lxiv. [lxv.] 9 Thou preparest man his corne [1611 Thou preparest them corne; 1885 R.V. Thou providest them corn]. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 247 The Sled, the Tumbril, Hurdles and the Flail... These all must be prepar'd, if Ploughmen hope The promis'd Blessing of a Bounteous Crop. 1859 Tennyson Lancelot & Elaine 1115 Let there be prepared a chariot-bier To take me to the river, and a barge..clothed in black. |
† b. With inverted construction: To provide (oneself) preparatorily with something. Obs. rare.
| 1625 Purchas Pilgrims vii. vii. §5. 1167 To prepare our selues with things necessarie for the Warre, especially of Powder. |
5. To make ready (food, a meal) for eating; to cook or dress and serve up.
| 1490 Caxton Eneydos xxiii. 85 She..prepared to hym his mete, alle after his complexion. 1526 Tindale Luke xxii. 8 Goo and prepare vs the ester lambe, that we maye eate. 1566 Painter Pal. Pleas. II. 498 During the time that supper was preparyng. 1671 Milton P.R. ii. 273 He found his Supper on the coals prepar'd. 1755 T. Amory Mem. (1766) II. 60 Our repast was preparing. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho iv, They were preparing their supper. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xi. 72 Breakfast was soon prepared. |
6. To bring into proper state for use by some special or technical process; to work up; to dress.
In quot. 1722, To put in proper order, make tidy.
| 1722 De Foe Plague (1756) 53 That every Householder do cause the Street to be daily prepared before his Door. 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v. Insects, Skeletons..have been prepared by burying them in an ant-hill. 1825 J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 484 Pure clay..is always opaque, and the flint..always transparent; but both are prepared previously to being used. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 90/1 Sheep-skins are sometimes prepared to imitate morocco. |
7. a. To make, produce, or form for some purpose; in mod. use esp. ‘to make by regular process’ (J.), to manufacture, to make or compound (a chemical product, a medicinal or other ‘preparation’, etc.).
| 1535 Coverdale Ps. xciv. [xcv.] 5 The see is his for he made it, and his hondes prepared the drie londe. 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 51 Prepair thy creddill in my Spreit. 1712 Blackmore Creation ii. 77 In vain the Author had the Eye prepar'd With so much Skill, had not the Light appear'd. 1799 G. Smith Laboratory I. 34 The stars and sparks..are prepared in the following manner. 1809 Med. Jrnl. XXI. 356, I suggested to the apothecary..to prepare some pills of five grains each. 1856 Miller Elem. Chem. II. 451 The most convenient methods of preparing nitrogen are based upon the removal of oxygen from atmospheric air. 1865–8 Watts Dict. Chem. III. 193 Hydrogen prepared by dissolving zinc or iron in sulphuric acid. 1875 Ure's Dict. Arts II. 914 Writing Ink may be..prepared in many different ways. |
b. To compose and write out in proper form for use; to draw up (a writing or document).
| 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xi. Do you prepare a few lines to acquaint Vivaldi with your consent to his proposal. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) IV. 271 The deed of settlement having been prepared and engrossed by the direction of Lord Coventry. 1854 J. S. C. Abbott Napoleon (1855) I. xxxvii. 577 A code is preparing for the regulation of commerce. a 1873 Wilberforce Ch. & Empires (1874) 306 The Bulls were being prepared as speedily as was possible. |
8. Mus. a. To lead up to (a discord) by sounding the dissonant note in it as a consonant note in the preceding chord. b. To lead up to (a shake or other grace) by a preliminary note, turn, etc.
| 1727–41 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Discord, The Discord is prepared by subsisting first in the harmony in quality of a concord. 1869 Ouseley Counterp. v. 24 Always let the dissonant note be heard as a concord in the preceding chord. This is called preparing it. |