/ prɪˈpeə(r); NAmE -ˈper/ verb
1.
[ vn ] prepare sth/sb (for sb/sth) to make sth or sb ready to be used or to do sth :
to prepare a report
A hotel room is being prepared for them.
The college prepares students for a career in business.
2.
prepare (yourself) (for sth) to make yourself ready to do sth or for sth that you expect to happen :
[ v ]
I had no time to prepare.
The whole class is working hard preparing for the exams.
[ vn ]
The police are preparing themselves for trouble at the demonstration.
[ v to inf ]
I was preparing to leave.
[ vn to inf ]
The troops prepared themselves to go into battle.
3.
[ vn ] to make food ready to be eaten :
He was in the kitchen preparing lunch.
4.
[ vn ] prepare sth (from sth) to make a medicine or chemical substance, for example by mixing other substances together :
remedies prepared from herbal extracts
•
IDIOMS
- prepare the ground (for sth)
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from French préparer or Latin praeparare , from prae before + parare make ready.