preparation


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prep·a·ra·tion

 (prĕp′ə-rā′shən)
n.
1. The act or process of preparing.
2. The state of having been made ready beforehand; readiness.
3. often preparations An action done to prepare for something, especially for an event or undertaking: preparations for the opening of the new school.
4. A substance, such as a medicine, prepared for a particular purpose.
5. Music
a. The anticipation of a dissonant tone by means of its introduction as a consonant tone in the preceding chord.
b. The dissonant tone so anticipated.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

preparation

(ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən)
n
1. the act or process of preparing
2. the state of being prepared; readiness
3. (often plural) a measure done in order to prepare for something; provision: to make preparations for something.
4. (Pharmacology) something that is prepared, esp a medicinal formulation
5. (Education) (esp in a boarding school)
a. homework
b. the period reserved for this. Usually shortened to: prep
6. (Music, other) music
a. the anticipation of a dissonance so that the note producing it in one chord is first heard in the preceding chord as a consonance
b. a note so employed
7. (Ecclesiastical Terms) (often capital) the preliminary prayers at Mass or divine service
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

prep•a•ra•tion

(ˌprɛp əˈreɪ ʃən)

n.
1. a proceeding, measure, or provision by which one prepares for something: preparations for a journey.
2. any proceeding, experience, or the like considered as a mode of preparing for the future.
3. an act of preparing.
4. the state of being prepared.
5. something prepared, manufactured, or compounded: a preparation for burns.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Preparation

 

(See also READINESS.)

batten down the hatches To prepare for adversity, to ready one’s defenses. The expression is of nautical origin: battens are narrow strips of wood nailed down to secure the edges of the tarpaulin over the hatchways during rough weather at sea. The phrase is commonly used figuratively for the precautions necessary to prepare a dwelling against a literal storm of any sort; and by further extension, to take defensive precautions when faced with any upcoming trial or ordeal.

bite the bullet See ENDURANCE.

boots and saddle A U. S. Army bugle call for mounted drill and formation. This expression denoting a cavalry trumpet sound is a corruption of the French boutes la selle ‘put on the saddle,’ and consequently has no semantic relationship with boots. However, since boots are logically associated with horsemen, whether cavalry or cowboys, boots and saddle has come to carry connotations of the American West more than of the military.

get one-self in gear To ready one-self to take whatever action is necessary; to stop lazing about and get ready to go. This expression may derive from the use of gear, as in put in gear, gear up, or get in gear, all of which in literal use refer to the harnessing of an animal. Another possibility is a more modern use of gear. In this latter sense, in gear applies to the state of parts in which they are connected or meshed with each other. Both possibilities involve the idea of preparation and are plausible explanations for the current use of get one-self in gear. A variant expression is gear one-self up which refers to preparing one-self psychologically, or psyching one-self up to do something demanding or distasteful.

get up steam To get up energy, gear one-self up, psych one-self up, motivate one-self. The allusion is to the steam-operated engines formerly used to propel riverboats and locomotives. These engines were powered by boiler-generated steam, a certain amount of which had to be produced before the boat or locomotive could begin moving forward. Because of its use as a power source for engines, steam has come to be used figuratively to mean energy, vigor, drive. The expression appeared in Francis Francis Jr.’s Saddle and Mocassin (1887):

“And he [the bull] came for you?”
“When he got up the steam he did.”

gird up one’s loins To prime one-self for a test of endurance or preparedness; to ready one-self for scrutiny. The expression appears in Proverbs 31:17:

She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

The phrase may have derived from the loose-fitting clothes of ancient people, which needed to be tucked in or “girdled,” usually about the loins, in preparation for work.

It was necessary, therefore, to gird up our loins and walk. (Leitch Ritchie, Wanderings by the Loire, 1833)

The expression is the literary equivalent of the modern get psyched up, a colloquialism for putting one-self into a state of readiness.

grit one’s teeth To steel one-self to do what has to be done, to ready one-self for an unpleasant task or experience; to clench or grind one’s teeth in anger or determination; also to set one’s teeth. This expression, which dates from the late 18th century, is an allusion to the involuntary, reflexive clenching of one’s teeth in moments of extreme anger or stress.

The duellist gritted his teeth as he cocked the gun a second time. (The Southern Literary Messenger, 1840)

pave the way To prepare the way for, to lead up to; to smooth the way, to facilitate or make easier; to be the first step toward. Literal paved roads are, of course, much smoother to travel on than those of dirt and gravel. A variant of the expression was in use as early as the 16th century.

It was Einstein who paved the way for the big-bang theory. (Newsweek, March, 1979)

screw one-self up to concert pitch To prepare for a particularly challenging task; to ready one-self for superior performance; to psych one-self up. This expression is an extension of the literal meaning of concert pitch, i.e., the slightly higher-than-usual pitch to which instruments are tuned for a concert in order to heighten the effect and brilliance of the music.

square off See CONFRONTATION.

Picturesque Expressions: A Thematic Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1980 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.preparation - the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purposepreparation - the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose; "preparations for the ceremony had begun"
fire control - preparation for the delivery of shellfire on a target
activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity"
deployment - the distribution of forces in preparation for battle or work
groundwork - preliminary preparation as a basis or foundation; "we are prepared today because of groundwork that was done ten years ago"
makeready - final preparation and adjustments
priming - the act of making something ready
planning - an act of formulating a program for a definite course of action; "the planning was more fun than the trip itself"
turnround, turnaround - act or process of unloading and loading and servicing a vessel or aircraft for a return trip
tune-up, warm-up, prolusion - exercising in preparation for strenuous activity
2.preparation - a substance prepared according to a formula; "the physician prescribed a commercial preparation of the medicine"
cleaner, cleanser, cleansing agent - a preparation used in cleaning something
chemical compound, compound - (chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight
glycerinated gelatin - a gelatinous preparation made from gelatin and glycerin and water; used as a base for ointments and suppositories
nebula - a medicinal liquid preparation intended for use in an atomizer
polish - a preparation used in polishing
starch - a commercial preparation of starch that is used to stiffen textile fabrics in laundering
smelling salts - a pungent preparation of ammonium carbonate and perfume; sniffed as a stimulant to relieve faintness
3.preparation - the cognitive process of thinking about what you will do in the event of something happening; "his planning for retirement was hindered by several uncertainties"
cerebration, intellection, mentation, thinking, thought process, thought - the process of using your mind to consider something carefully; "thinking always made him frown"; "she paused for thought"
arrangement, agreement - the thing arranged or agreed to; "they made arrangements to meet in Chicago"
applecart - the planning that is disrupted when someone `upsets the applecart'
malice aforethought, mens rea - (law) criminal intent; the thoughts and intentions behind a wrongful act (including knowledge that the act is illegal); often at issue in murder trials
calculation, deliberation - planning something carefully and intentionally; "it was the deliberation of his act that was insulting"
forethought, premeditation - planning or plotting in advance of acting
4.preparation - the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action); "putting them in readiness"; "their preparation was more than adequate"
state - the way something is with respect to its main attributes; "the current state of knowledge"; "his state of health"; "in a weak financial state"
armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
ready - poised for action; "their guns were at the ready"
alert, qui vive - condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action; "bombers were put on alert during the crisis"
5.preparation - (music) a note that produces a dissonant chord is first heard in a consonant chord; "the resolution of one dissonance is often the preparation for another dissonance"
music - an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
musical harmony, harmony - the structure of music with respect to the composition and progression of chords
resolution - (music) a dissonant chord is followed by a consonant chord
6.preparation - activity leading to skilled behaviorpreparation - activity leading to skilled behavior
activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity"
athletic training - the course of practice and exercise and diet undertaken by an athlete
discipline - training to improve strength or self-control
drill - (military) the training of soldiers to march (as in ceremonial parades) or to perform the manual of arms
practice session, practice, drill, exercise, recitation - systematic training by multiple repetitions; "practice makes perfect"
military training - training soldiers in military procedures
retraining - training for a new occupation
schooling - the training of an animal (especially the training of a horse for dressage)
skull practice, skull session - teaching strategy to an athletic team
toilet training - training a young child to use the toilet
7.preparation - preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home)preparation - preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home)
school assignment, schoolwork - a school task performed by a student to satisfy the teacher
didactics, education, educational activity, instruction, pedagogy, teaching - the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill; "he received no formal education"; "our instruction was carefully programmed"; "good classroom teaching is seldom rewarded"
8.preparation - the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heatpreparation - the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat; "cooking can be a great art"; "people are needed who have experience in cookery"; "he left the preparation of meals to his wife"
change of state - the act of changing something into something different in essential characteristics
baking - cooking by dry heat in an oven
toasting, browning - cooking to a brown crispiness over a fire or on a grill; "proper toasting should brown both sides of a piece of bread"
broil, broiling, grilling - cooking by direct exposure to radiant heat (as over a fire or under a grill)
frying, sauteing - cooking in fat or oil in a pan or griddle
fusion cooking - cooking that combines ingredients and techniques and seasonings from different cuisines
braising - cooking slowly in fat in a closed pot with little moisture
poaching - cooking in simmering liquid
roasting - cooking (meat) by dry heat in an oven (usually with fat added); "the slow roasting took several hours"
simmering, stewing, boiling - cooking in a liquid that has been brought to a boil
tenderisation, tenderization - the act of making meat tender by pounding or marinating it
percolation - the act of making coffee in a percolator
seasoning - the act of adding a seasoning to food
cuisine, culinary art - the practice or manner of preparing food or the food so prepared
challah, hallah - (Judaism) a loaf of white bread containing eggs and leavened with yeast; often formed into braided loaves and glazed with eggs before baking
Jewish rye, Jewish rye bread - (Judaism) bread made with rye flour; usually contains caraway seeds
calamari, calamary, squid - (Italian cuisine) squid prepared as food
curry - (East Indian cookery) a pungent dish of vegetables or meats flavored with curry powder and usually eaten with rice
brown sauce, Chinese brown sauce - a sauce based on soy sauce
caramelise, caramelize - convert to caramel
caramelise, caramelize - be converted into caramel; "The sugar caramelized"
alcoholise, alcoholize - make alcoholic, as by fermenting; "alcoholize prunes"
alcoholise, alcoholize - treat or infuse with alcohol; "alcoholize the fruit and let them sit in the refrigerator"
conserve - preserve with sugar; "Mom always conserved the strawberries we grew in the backyard"
pickle - preserve in a pickling liquid
salt - preserve with salt; "people used to salt meats on ships"
marinade, marinate - soak in marinade; "marinade herring"
can, tin, put up - preserve in a can or tin; "tinned foods are not very tasty"
brine - soak in brine
fortify, lace, spike - add alcohol to (beverages); "the punch is spiked!"
fortify - add nutrients to; "fortified milk"
boil down, concentrate, reduce - cook until very little liquid is left; "The cook reduced the sauce by boiling it for a long time"
boil down, decoct, concentrate, reduce - be cooked until very little liquid is left; "The sauce should reduce to one cup"
bake - cook and make edible by putting in a hot oven; "bake the potatoes"
ovenbake - bake in an oven; "ovenbake this chicken"
brown - fry in a pan until it changes color; "brown the meat in the pan"
coddle - cook in nearly boiling water; "coddle eggs"
fire - bake in a kiln so as to harden; "fire pottery"
farce, stuff - fill with a stuffing while cooking; "Have you stuffed the turkey yet?"
baste - cover with liquid before cooking; "baste a roast"
souse - cook in a marinade; "souse herring"
micro-cook, microwave, nuke, zap - cook or heat in a microwave oven; "You can microwave the leftovers"
crispen, toast, crisp - make brown and crisp by heating; "toast bread"; "crisp potatoes"
shirr - bake (eggs) in their shells until they are set; "shirr the eggs"
parboil, blanch - cook (vegetables) briefly; "Parboil the beans before freezing them"
overboil - boil excessively; "The peas are overboiled"
fricassee - make a fricassee of by cooking; "fricassee meats"
stew - cook slowly and for a long time in liquid; "Stew the vegetables in wine"
jug - stew in an earthenware jug; "jug the rabbit"
simmer - boil slowly at low temperature; "simmer the sauce"; "simmering water"
roast - cook with dry heat, usually in an oven; "roast the turkey"
barbecue, barbeque, cook out - cook outdoors on a barbecue grill; "let's barbecue that meat"; "We cooked out in the forest"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

preparation

noun
1. groundwork, development, preparing, arranging, devising, getting ready, thinking-up, putting in order Behind any successful event lies months of preparation.
2. readiness, expectation, provision, safeguard, precaution, anticipation, foresight, preparedness, alertness a military build-up in preparation for war
3. (usually plural) arrangement, plan, measure, provision Final preparations are under way for the celebration.
4. mixture, cream, medicine, compound, composition, lotion, concoction, amalgam, ointment, tincture a specially formulated natural skin preparation
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

preparation

noun
1. The condition of being made ready beforehand:
2. A plan made in preparation for an undertaking.Often used in plural:
arrangement (often used in plural), provision (often used in plural).
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إسْتِعْدادإِعْدَادإعْداد
přípravapřípravy
forberedelse
valmistelu
pripremapriprava
elõkészületkészülés
undirbúningur
準備
준비
príprava
pripravapripravljanje
föreberedelse
การตระเตรียม
sự chuẩn bị

preparation

[ˌprepəˈreɪʃən] N
1. (= prior activity, development) → preparación f
few things distracted him from the preparation of his lecturespocas cosas le distraían de la preparación de sus clases
the person responsible for food preparationla persona encargada de preparar la comida
education should be a preparation for lifela educación debería servir de preparación para la vida
her latest novel has been four years in preparationlleva cuatro años preparando su última novela
he is learning French in preparation for his new jobestá aprendiendo francés para prepararse para su nuevo trabajo
2. preparationspreparativos mpl (for para de) I helped with the preparations for the partyayudé con los preparativos para or de la fiesta
to make preparations (for sth/to do sth)hacer preparativos (para algo/para hacer algo)
he'll have to make preparations for the funeraltendrá que hacer los preparativos del or para el funeral
3. (Culin, Pharm) (= substance) → preparado m
4. (Brit) (in public schools) (= homework) → deberes mpl
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

preparation

[ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən]
n
(gen)préparation f
It's a good recipe but there's a lot of preparation involved → C'est une bonne recette mais qui implique beaucoup de préparation.
preparation for sth → préparation à qch
Education should be a preparation for life → L'éducation devrait être une préparation à la vie.
food preparation → la préparation de la nourriture
in preparation for → en préparation de
(= mixture) → préparation f preparations
npl (for trip, war)préparatifs mpl
preparations for sth → les préparatifs de qch, les préparatifs pour qch
to make preparations for sth → faire des préparatifs pour qch
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

preparation

n
(= preparing)Vorbereitung f; (of meal, medicine etc)Zubereitung f; in preparation for somethingals Vorbereitung für etw; to be in preparationin Vorbereitung sein
(= preparatory measure)Vorbereitung f; preparations for war/a journeyKriegs-/Reisevorbereitungen pl; to make preparationsVorbereitungen treffen
(Med, Sci) → Präparat nt; beauty preparationsSchönheitspräparate pl; a preparation of herbs (Med) → ein Kräuterpräparat nt; (Cook) → eine Kräutermischung
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

preparation

[ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃn] n
a. (preparing) → preparazione f
in preparation for sth → in vista di qc
to be in preparation → essere in (corso di) preparazione
b. preparations npl (preparatory measures) → preparativi mpl
to make preparations → fare i preparativi
c. (Brit) (Scol) → compiti mpl
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

prepare

(priˈpeə) verb
to make or get ready. Have you prepared your speech for Thursday?; My mother prepared a meal; He prepared to go out; Prepare yourself for a shock.
preparation (prepəˈreiʃən) noun
1. the act of preparing. You can't pass an exam without preparation.
2. something done to prepare. She was making hasty preparations for her departure.
preparatory (-ˈpӕrə-) adjective
acting as an introduction or in order to prepare for something. Political leaders have agreed to meet for preparatory talks about an end to the war.
preˈpared adjective
(negative unprepared) made ready.
preparatory school (-ˈpӕrə-)
1. a private school which educates children in preparation for a senior school (abbreviation prep school (prep-) ).
2. (American) a private secondary school preparing students for college.
be prepared
(of a person) to be ready (for something, to do something etc). We must be prepared for a disappointment; I'm not prepared (=willing) to lend him more money; The motto of the Scouts is `Be Prepared!'.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

preparation

إِعْدَاد příprava forberedelse Vorbereitung προετοιμασία preparación valmistelu préparation priprema preparazione 準備 준비 voorbereiding forberedelse przygotowanie preparação подготовка föreberedelse การตระเตรียม hazırlık sự chuẩn bị 准备
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

prep·a·ra·tion

n. preparación.
acción de preparar algo;
un medicamento que se prepara para ser administrado.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

preparation

n preparación f; (pharm) preparado
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
I never could endure this compound, and indeed the preparation is not greatly in vogue among the more polite Typees.
During these days of preparation, Queequeg and I often visited the craft, and as often I asked about Captain Ahab, and how he was, and when he was going to come on board his ship.
M'Dougal in all the bustle of preparation; having about nine days previously announced at the factory, his intention of breaking up the establishment, and fixed upon the
We were both so excited that, at the moment of greeting, neither of us could be apposite to the occasion in words, so we communicated our feelings by signs; as thus, David half sat down in a place where there was no chair, which is his favourite preparation for being emphatic, and is borrowed, I think, from the frogs, and we then made the extraordinary faces which mean, "What a tremendous adventure!"
Infadoos and the chiefs, however, were of opinion that no attack would take place that day, which would be devoted to preparation and to the removal of every available means of the moral effect produced upon the minds of the soldiery by the supposed magical darkening of the moon.
Days before she had been making preparations for the end, purchasing little stores for the boy's use, marking his books and linen, talking with him and preparing him for the change-- fondly fancying that he needed preparation.
that ball!why did we wait for any thing?why not seize the pleasure at once?How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation!You told us it would be so.Oh!
After several months of preparation and an expenditure of a million dollars all was in readiness, and a series of tremendous explosions occurred on the earth and in the sky.
"Conseil," said I again, beginning with feverish hands to make preparations for my departure.
Besides, all manner of doubt was quickly put out of the question: preparations for the trip were set on foot at London; the factories of Lyons received a heavy order for the silk required for the body of the balloon; and, finally, the British Government placed the transport-ship Resolute, Captain Bennett, at the disposal of the expedition.
Just as Levin had disliked all the trivial preparations for his wedding, as derogatory to the grandeur of the event, now he felt still more offensive the preparations for the approaching birth, the date of which they reckoned, it seemed, on their fingers.
Opening of the caches Detachments of Cerre and Hodgkiss Salmon River Mountains Superstition of an Indian trapper Godin's River Preparations for trapping An alarm An interruption A rival band Phenomena of Snake River Plain Vast clefts and chasms Ingulfed streams Sublime scenery A grand buffalo hunt.