First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
prepare
verb pre·pare \pri-ˈper\
: to make (someone or something) ready for some activity, purpose, use, etc.
: to make yourself ready for something that you will be doing, something that you expect to happen, etc.
: to make or create (something) so that it is ready for use
pre·paredpre·par·ing
Full Definition of PREPARE
transitive verb
1
a : to make ready beforehand for some purpose, use, or activity <prepare food for dinner> b : to put in a proper state of mind <is prepared to listen>
2
: to work out the details of : plan in advance <preparing a campaign strategy>
3
a : to put together : compound <prepare a prescription> b : to put into written form <prepare a report>
intransitive verb
: to get ready <preparing for a career>
— pre·par·er noun
See prepare defined for English-language learners
See prepare defined for kids
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Origin of PREPARE
Middle English, from Middle French preparer, from Latin praeparare, from prae- pre- + parare to procure, prepare — more at pare
Rhymes with PREPARE
affair, aglare, airfare, Ajmer, Altair, antbear, armchair, au pair, aware, bakeware, barware, Basseterre, Baudelaire, beachwear, bergère, beware, bid fair, big hair, black bear, bricklayer, broodmare, brown bear, bugbear, caneware, carfare, Carrère, cave bear, chi-square, clayware, club chair, compare, compere, confrere, cookware, corsair, courseware, creamware, crosshair, cudbear, daymare, dead air, decare, deck chair, declare, delftware, despair, dishware, éclair, elsewhere, ensnare, eyewear, fanfare, fieldfare, firmware, flatware, Flaubert, footwear, forbear, forebear, forswear, foursquare, freeware, funfair, galère, giftware, glassware, Great Bear, groupware, Gruyère, guard hair, hardware, health care, hectare, high chair, horsehair, hot air, impair, infare, Khmer, Kildare, knitwear, life-care, light air, longhair, loungewear, Mayfair, menswear, meunière, midair, mohair, Molière, neckwear, nightmare, no fair, outstare, out-there, outwear, playwear, plein air, plowshare, Poor Clare, Port Blair, portiere, premiere, pushchair, rainwear, redware, repair, root hair, Sancerre, sea hare, shank's mare, shareware, shorthair, side chair, Sinclair, skiwear, sleepwear, slipware, sloth bear, software, somewhere, spongeware, sportswear, stemware, stoneware, sun bear, swimwear, threadbare, tinware, torchère, trouvère, tuyere, unfair, unhair, unswear, Voltaire, warfare, welfare, wheelchair, wirehair, workfare
PREPARE Defined for Kids
prepare
verb pre·pare \pri-ˈper\
pre·paredpre·par·ing
Definition of PREPARE for Kids
1
: to make or get ready beforehand <I have to prepare for a test.> <Farmers prepare the soil for planting.>
2
: to put together the elements of <prepare dinner>
Medical Dictionary
prepare
transitive verb pre·pare \pri-ˈpa(ə)r, -ˈpe(ə)r\
pre·paredpre·par·ing
Medical Definition of PREPARE
1
: to make ready beforehand <prepare a patient for surgery>
2
: to put together : compound <prepared a vaccine from live virus> <prepared the doctor's prescription>
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