preparation - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

Preparation is the act of preparing — getting ready, planning, training, or studying with a goal in mind.

If you know pre means before, then you have a clue to the meaning of preparation. Dressing up before a date, learning your lines for a play, and attending medical school are all forms of preparation. Boot camp is preparation for soldiers. Rehearsal is preparation for actors. In cooking a huge meal, you have to do a lot of preparation before actually beginning to cook. If you fail a test, you clearly need to do more preparation next time.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: preparation

1	n	the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose
2	n	a substance prepared according to a formula
3	n	(music) a note that produces a dissonant chord is first heard in a consonant chord

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: preparation

1

n the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose

“preparations for the ceremony had begun”

Synonyms:: readying

Types:: show 11 types...; hide 11 types...; fire control
preparation for the delivery of shellfire on a target; deployment
the distribution of forces in preparation for battle or work; groundwork
preliminary preparation as a basis or foundation; 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; turnaround, turnround
act or process of unloading and loading and servicing a vessel or aircraft for a return trip; prolusion, tune-up, warm-up
exercising in preparation for strenuous activity; birth control, birth prevention, family planning
limiting the number of children born; redeployment, redisposition
the withdrawal and redistribution of forces in an attempt to use them more effectively; programing, programming, scheduling
setting an order and time for planned events

Type of:: activity
any specific behavior

n the cognitive process of thinking about what you will do in the event of something happening

Synonyms:: planning, provision

Types:: show 8 types...; hide 8 types...; agreement, arrangement
the thing arranged or agreed to; 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; forethought, premeditation
planning or plotting in advance of acting; collusion
secret agreement; prearrangement
something arranged in advance; premeditation
(law) thought and intention to commit a crime well in advance of the crime; goes to show criminal intent

Type of:: cerebration, intellection, mentation, thinking, thought, thought process
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

n the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)

“their preparation was more than adequate”

Synonyms:: preparedness, readiness

Types:: show 5 types...; hide 5 types...; ready
poised for action; alert, qui vive
condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action; air alert
the condition in which combat aircraft are airborne and ready for an operation; red alert
the highest level of alert when an attack by the enemy seems imminent (or more generally a state of alert resulting from imminent danger); strip alert
a state of readiness for domestic defense aircraft

Type of:: state
the way something is with respect to its main attributes

n activity leading to skilled behavior

Synonyms:: grooming, training

Types:: show 20 types...; hide 20 types...; 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; drill, exercise, practice, practice session, recitation
systematic training by multiple repetitions; 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; fartlek
a method of athletic training (especially for runners) in which strenuous effort and normal effort alternate in a continuous exercise; fire drill
an exercise intended to train people in duties and escape procedures to be followed in case of fire; manual, manual of arms
(military) a prescribed drill in handling a rifle; basic training
the initial period of training for new military personnel; involves intense physical activity and behavioral discipline; military drill
training in marching and the use of weapons; rehearsal
(psychology) a form of practice; repetition of information (silently or aloud) in order to keep it in short-term memory; dry run, rehearsal
a practice session in preparation for a public performance (as of a play or speech or concert); brushup, review
practice intended to polish performance or refresh the memory; scrimmage
(American football) practice play between a football team's squads; shadowboxing
sparring with an imaginary opponent (for exercise or training); target practice
practice in shooting at targets

Type of:: activity
any specific behavior

n preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home)

Synonyms:: homework, prep

Type of:: school assignment, schoolwork
a school task performed by a student to satisfy the teacher

2

n a substance prepared according to a formula

“the physician prescribed a commercial preparation of the medicine”

Synonyms:: formulation

Types:: show 13 types...; hide 13 types...; cleaner, cleanser, cleansing agent
a preparation used in cleaning something; 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; bathroom cleaner
a preparation for cleaning bathrooms; dentifrice
a substance for cleaning the teeth; applied with a toothbrush; detergent
a cleansing agent that differs from soap but can also emulsify oils and hold dirt in suspension; shampoo
cleansing agent consisting of soaps or detergents used for washing the hair; soap
a cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats; blacking, shoe polish
a substance used to produce a shiny protective surface on footwear; Simoniz
a brand of car polish

Type of:: chemical compound, compound
(chemistry) a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements or ingredients in definite proportion by weight

n the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat

“he left the preparation of meals to his wife”

Synonyms:: cookery, cooking

Types:: show 18 types...; hide 18 types...; baking
cooking by dry heat in an oven; browning, toasting
cooking to a brown crispiness over a fire or on a grill; 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); boiling, simmering, stewing
cooking in a liquid that has been brought to a boil; percolation
the act of making coffee in a percolator; cuisine, culinary art
the practice or manner of preparing food or the food so prepared; shirring
baking shelled eggs; barbecuing
roasting a large piece of meat on a revolving spit out of doors over an open fire; dim sum
traditional Chinese cuisine; a variety of foods (including several kinds of steamed or fried dumplings) are served successively in small portions; haute cuisine
(French) an elaborate and skillful manner of preparing food; nouvelle cuisine
a school of French cooking that uses light sauces and tries to bring out the natural flavors of foods instead of making heavy use of butter and cream; rechauffe
warmed leftovers; gastronomy
a particular style of cookery (as of a region)

Type of:: change of state
the act of changing something into something different in essential characteristics

3

n (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”

Antonyms:: resolution
(music) a dissonant chord is followed by a consonant chord

Type of:: harmony, musical harmony
the structure of music with respect to the composition and progression of chords