prepare

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /pɹɪˈpɛ(ə)ɹ/ UK /pɹɪˈpɛə/ See IPA manual

Freq #1615

Meanings

1

verb
To make something ready for a future use or event.

We prepared the spacecraft for takeoff.
2

verb
To get yourself ready for something.

We prepared for a bumpy ride.
3

verb
To make food ready to eat by cooking it.

She prepared a meal from what was left in the cupboards.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make something ready for... ready

2 verb · to get yourself ready for... get ready

More buskgraithyark

Word family

Forms preparespreparing

Derived forms dispreparefore-prepareforepreparemisprepareoverpreparepre-preparepreparabilitypreparablepreparatepreparementpreparinglypreprepare

Related forms preparation preparatory

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

prepare food
to get food ready for eating, especially by cooking or assembling ingredients

Verb + noun

Proverbs (4)

See all

Simplified etymology

Prepare entered English in the late Middle Ages and ultimately goes back to Latin parare, “make ready,” with the etymological sense “prepare in advance.”

Etymology

Partially a back-formation from preparation; and partially borrowed from Middle French preparer, from Classical Latin praeparāre (“make ready in advance”), from prae- (“pre-”) + parāre (“make ready”). Compare Middle English preparaten (“to prepare”).

*per- Proto-Indo-European preparer Middle French praeparo Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# prepare

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /pɹɪˈpɛ(ə)ɹ/
**IPA (UK):** /pɹɪˈpɛə/
**Frequency rank:** 1615

## Meanings
1. To make something ready for a future use or event.
2. To get yourself ready for something.
3. To make food ready to eat by cooking it.

## Examples
- We prepared the spacecraft for takeoff.
- We prepared for a bumpy ride.
- She prepared a meal from what was left in the cupboards.

## Synonyms
- busk
- graith
- ready
- yark

## Derived Forms
- disprepare
- fore-prepare
- foreprepare
- misprepare
- overprepare
- pre-prepare
- preparability
- preparable
- preparate
- preparement
- preparingly
- preprepare

## Related Forms
- preparation
- preparatory

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *per-
- Root: preparer
- Root: praeparo
- Affix: pre- - before

## Etymology
Partially a back-formation from preparation; and partially borrowed from Middle French preparer, from Classical Latin praeparāre (“make ready in advance”), from prae- (“pre-”) + parāre (“make ready”). Compare Middle English preparaten (“to prepare”).

## AI Etymology
Prepare: Partially a back-formation from preparation; and partially borrowed from Middle French preparer, from Classical Latin praeparāre (“make ready in advance”), from prae- (“pre-”) + parāre (“make ready”). Compare Middle English preparaten (“to prepare”). In present-day English it covers to make something ready for a future use or event, to get yourself ready for something, and to make food ready to eat by cooking it. The wider family includes derived forms such as disprepare, fore-prepare, foreprepare, misprepare, overprepare and related forms such as preparation, preparatory.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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