n. 1 the act or an instance of preparing; the process of being prepared. 2 (often in pl.) something done to make ready. 3 a specially prepared substance, esp. a food or medicine. 4 work done by school pupils to prepare for a lesson. 5 Mus. the sounding of the discordant note in a chord in the preceding chord where it is not discordant, lessening the effect of the discord.
[ ME f. OF f. L praeparatio -onis (as PREPARE) ]