preparepre‧pare /prɪˈpeə $ -ˈper/ ●●● S1 W1 verb 
Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking. When we got home, Stephano was busy preparing dinner. b)to write a document, make a programme etc: Health and safety officers will investigate the site and prepare a report. Green set himself the task of preparing a map of this remote area.► see thesaurus at cookRegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that someone makes a meal rather than prepares it:· Who’s making dinner tonight?· I’ll make the gravy.2make plans/arrangements [intransitive, transitive] to make plans or arrangements for something that will happen in the future SYN get readyprepare for The 45-year-old explorer has been preparing for his latest expedition to the Arctic.prepare to do something Her parents were busy preparing to go on holiday. The prosecution wanted more time to prepare their case.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that someone gets ready for something rather than prepares for it:· We’re getting ready to move next week.3make something ready [transitive] to make something ready to be used: Prepare the soil, then plant the seedlings eight inches apart.prepare something for somebody/something Coulthard’s team were up all night preparing the car for the race.4make yourself ready [transitive] to make yourself mentally or physically ready for something that you expect to happen soonprepare yourself (for something) The letter arrived, and we prepared ourselves for bad news. Can you just give me a couple more moments to prepare myself?prepare yourself for a race/fight etc The Chicago Bears are busy preparing themselves for the big game.prepare to do something Buy the album, and prepare to be amazed.5make somebody ready [transitive] to provide someone with the training, skills, experience etc that they will need to do a job or to deal with a situationprepare somebody for something a course that prepares students for English examinations Schools should do more to prepare children for the world of work. What does a coach do to prepare his team for the Superbowl?6prepare the way/ground for somebody/something to make it possible for something to be achieved, or for someone to succeed in doing something: Curie’s research prepared the way for the work of modern nuclear scientists.THESAURUSto prepare for an eventprepare to make plans or arrangements for something that will happen in the future so that you will be ready when it happens: · He only had a few hours to prepare for the interview.· The family are preparing to move to Queensland.get ready to prepare for something. Get ready is less formal than prepare and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English: · Smith has been busy getting ready for the race.· The army was getting ready to attack.make preparations to prepare for an event that needs a lot of planning: · The couple are making preparations for their wedding next year.gear up to prepare for an important event – used about companies, organizations, cities etc: · Stores are gearing up for the busy Christmas shopping period.· The city is gearing up for the Olympics.to prepare something so it can be usedprepare to make something ready to be used: · Have you prepared your speech?· Groundsmen were preparing the pitch for tomorrow’s game.get something ready to prepare something. Get something ready is less formal than prepare and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English: · They were getting the ship ready to sail.set (something) up to prepare equipment so that it is ready to be used: · It will take a few minutes to set the camera up.· The band was setting up on the stage.
WORD ORIGINprepare
Origin:
1400-1500 French préparer, from Latin praeparare, from parare ‘to get, prepare’VERB TABLE
prepare
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | prepare |
| he, she, it | prepares | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | prepared |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have prepared |
| he, she, it | has prepared | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had prepared |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will prepare |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have prepared |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am preparing |
| he, she, it | is preparing | |
| you, we, they | are preparing | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was preparing |
| you, we, they | were preparing | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been preparing |
| he, she, it | has been preparing | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been preparing |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be preparing |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been preparing |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Prepare a vinaigrette dressing with olive oil, white wine vinegar, and mustard.
- Before you start painting, prepare the walls by cleaning them and filling any cracks.
- Brenda spent all day preparing the meal.
- He only had a few hours to prepare for the interview.
- I've been so busy that I've had no time to prepare.
- Maintenance staff are busy preparing the field for tomorrow's big game.
- Mrs Fujimoto prepared a delicious meal for them.
- Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw during the war.
- People on the island are preparing for another storm.
- Some French dishes take hours to prepare.
- The Americans are preparing two new satellites for launch.
- The company is preparing to expand its European network.
- The programs are aimed at preparing people who want to start up their own business.
- When they are not in the classroom, teachers spend much of their time preparing lessons.
- Each hotel prepares its own profit and loss account.
- His duties are to prepare the estimates of expenditure for all committees of the council after the council have formulated its policy.
- Its success is owed to the family that runs it with affection and pride, preparing traditional dishes with an easy perfection.
- Separate drills would have to be prepared to master each of the three clause types.
- These men and women had spent two weeks preparing for the big occasion, many taking unpaid leave from work.
- Your unconscious mind works out many of your conflicts in dreams, and generally prepares you for the challenges of the day.
THESAURUSto prepare for an event
to make plans or arrangements for something that will happen in the future so that you will be ready when it happens: · He only had a few hours to prepare for the interview.· The family are preparing to move to Queensland.
to prepare for something. Get ready is less formal than prepare and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English: · Smith has been busy getting ready for the race.· The army was getting ready to attack.
to prepare for an event that needs a lot of planning: · The couple are making preparations for their wedding next year.
to prepare for an important event – used about companies, organizations, cities etc: · Stores are gearing up for the busy Christmas shopping period.· The city is gearing up for the Olympics.
to prepare something so it can be used to make something ready to be used: · Have you prepared your speech?· Groundsmen were preparing the pitch for tomorrow’s game.
to prepare something. Get something ready is less formal than prepare and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English: · They were getting the ship ready to sail.
to prepare equipment so that it is ready to be used: · It will take a few minutes to set the camera up.· The band was setting up on the stage.
Longman Language Activatorto prepare for something that will happen in the future to make plans or arrangements for something that will happen in the future, so that you will be ready when it happens: · I've been so busy that I've had no time to prepare.prepare for: · He only had a few hours to prepare for the interview.· People on the island are preparing for another storm.prepare to do something: · The company is preparing to expand its European network.
to do all the things you need to do to prepare for a special occasion or event: · We're looking forward to the trip, but there's so much to do to get ready.get ready for: · We've spent the last few days getting ready for Christmas.get ready to do something: · It seems the whole country is getting ready to welcome the visiting president.
to do all the things you must do in order to prepare for an important event: · We set a date of January 8 and began to make preparations.make preparations for: · We started to make preparations for the wedding about a year ago.make your preparations: · I made my preparations with great care.
if you do something in preparation for a planned event, you do something to make it possible or more likely to be successful: · Japan National Railways was split up in preparation for sale to private investors.· In preparation for Passover, all "unclean" items are removed from the house.
if a company or organization gears up to do something important or difficult, they prepare to do it by making changes, buying things that will be needed etc: gear up to do something: · Retailers are already gearing up to meet the Christmas rush.gear up for: · The company will shortly be gearing up for a major expansion.
also do the spadework British to do the work that has to be done before something else can happen: · All the necessary groundwork for the advertising campaign has already been done.· Although I did most of the spadework, I wasn't given any credit for it.
also mobilise British if a country or its army mobilizes , it prepares to fight a war: · Britain mobilized its forces.· While the US mobilizes, top-level diplomats are making a last attempt to reach a negotiated settlement.
to prepare something so that it is ready to be used to prepare something such as a place, a machine, or piece of equipment for an event or activity that has been planned: · Before you start painting, prepare the walls by cleaning them and filling any cracks.· When they are not in the classroom, teachers spend much of their time preparing lessons.prepare something for something: · The Americans are preparing two new satellites for launch.· Maintenance staff are busy preparing the field for tomorrow's big game.
to make sure something is ready to be used: · I'll get the car ready.get sth ready for: · Try to get all your things ready for school the night before.· Her main job is to do general cleaning and get the rooms ready for guests.
to prepare the equipment that is needed for an activity, by putting them in the right places, putting different pieces together etc: set up something: · We've set up a microphone in the corner.· It was 6:30 and traders were already setting up their market stalls.set something up: · It'll take a few minutes to set the camera up.
to prepare yourself for something that you have to do to make yourself mentally and physically ready for something that you will have to do: · Before starting to write an answer in an exam, prepare yourself by thinking about what you want to say.prepare yourself for: · They prepared themselves for a long wait.· She has spent the last year preparing herself for the race.
if you are prepared for something unpleasant or difficult, you expect it and you have thought about it, so that you can deal with it more easily: · The children were seasick last time, so this time we're prepared .be prepared for: · I just wasn't prepared for such a difficult interview.be well prepared: · Clark's lawyers were well prepared and confident.
to do all the things you need to do in order to be ready to do something, especially things such as washing or dressing before you go somewhere: · You'd better go get ready - it's almost 8 o'clock.get ready to do something: · I was just getting ready to go out when Tim called.get yourself ready for something: · In the stadium, the sprinters are getting themselves ready for the 100-metre race.
to prepare yourself for something unpleasant that is about to happen: · Here comes the boss, and she's not looking happy! You'd better brace yourself!brace yourself for: · Socialist party leaders are bracing themselves for defeat.brace yourself to do something: · I didn't really want to hear the rest, but I braced myself to listen.
to prepare yourself to do something that you know will be upsetting, frightening, or unpleasant: · I had to steel myself before I could tell her about the accident.steel yourself to do something: · She steeled herself to look at the body again.steel yourself for: · Jim steeled himself for a fight.
informal to prepare yourself mentally for something difficult by making yourself believe that you can do it and that you really want to do it: · I tried to psych myself up before the interview.psych yourself up for: · A lot of athletes use music to psych themselves up for a game.
to prepare yourself to do something that you do not want to do, by gradually making yourself more and more determined to do it: · I haven't asked him yet, but I'm working up to it.work up to doing something: · She's been working up to telling her boyfriend it's over.
especially British to prepare yourself mentally for something such as a test or important game, by gradually making yourself believe that you can do it successfully: · The game's on Friday, so we're starting to gear ourselves up during training.gear yourself up for: · He's been gearing himself up for his exams over the past few weeks.
to prepare someone for something that they will have to do to prepare someone for something that they will have to do, by providing them with the skills, training, or experience that they will need: · The programs are aimed at preparing people who want to start up their own business.prepare somebody for something: · Schools should do more to prepare children for the world of work.· Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw during the war.
to prepare someone for a job, activity, or sporting event by teaching them the skills they need and encouraging them to practise: · The team is currently training in Hampshire.train somebody to do something: · The staff must be trained to use the software correctly.train somebody for something: · The troops had been trained for an important role in the battle.train for: · She's been training for the marathon for six months.
to carefully prepare someone for an important job or for a particular position in society by training them over a long period of time: groom somebody as something: · Jiang was groomed as Deng's replacementgroom somebody to be something: · Mrs Adams had groomed her only daughter to be a perfect wife and mother.groom somebody for something: · Most people believe he is being groomed for the party leadership.
to give someone the skills they need to deal with problems or difficult situations, especially by training them: equip somebody to do something: · A good education will equip your children to get a good job.equip somebody with something: · We do our best to equip refugees with the skills they need for survival in a foreign culture.
to provide the necessary conditions for something to happen if an action or event sets the scene for another event, it provides the conditions in which that event can take place: set the scene for: · The negotiations in Geneva have set the scene for a possible agreement later in the year.· Recent events have set the scene for a potentially violent confrontation between the demonstrators and the army.
to provide the conditions that will make something much easier to achieve in the future: pave the way for: · These experiments may pave the way for a vaccine against some forms of cancer.· The Married Women's Property Act paved the way for further legislation on women's rights.
to provide the conditions that will make it possible for something successful to take place much later: lay the foundations for: · Long-term planning after the war laid the foundations for the nation's steady economic growth.lay the foundations of: · The two sides met in an attempt to lay the foundations of a future peace settlement.
when you prepare something the time and work that is needed to prepare for something: · Months of preparation have gone into organizing the festival.· This dessert needs very little preparation, and you can serve it right away.preparation for: · This is all part of the preparation for next month's vital election.preparation of: · Correct preparation of the canvas for painting is extremely important.
all the things you have to do so that you will be ready for an important event: · Despite their preparations, hospital officials worry that they could not cope with a major epidemic.preparations for: · She's busy with the final preparations for the wedding.· Preparations for the conference are well under way.
to cook something to prepare food or a meal by heating it, boiling it, frying it etc: · I'm just too tired to cook after work.· Prick the potatoes with a fork before cooking them.cook lunch/supper/a meal etc: · I usually cook a big meal on Sundays.cook (something) for somebody (=cook a meal for someone): · The last time she cooked a meal for us we really enjoyed it.
to make a meal or dish or type of food, either by cooking it or by preparing it in some other way: · My mother used to make delicious strawberry jam.· I think I'll make fish pie for supper.· I'll make the salad if you'll make the pasta.make lunch/dinner/supper etc: · When I got home, Martin was in the kitchen making lunch.make somebody something: · I'll make you some sandwiches to take with you.
especially British, spoken to cook or prepare a meal: · Sit down and let me get dinner.· Joey was downstairs getting the kids their breakfast.
especially American to make a meal or dish - use this about meals you make quickly, not about big, formal meals: fix breakfast/lunch/dinner etc: · I have to fix lunch now.fix somebody something: · If you're hungry, I can fix you some scrambled eggs.
to make a meal quickly using whatever food you have available: · She managed to rustle up a delicious meal with just a little salad and some eggs.rustle something up: · "I don't think there's any food in the house.'' "Don't worry, I'm sure we can rustle something up.''
written to make a meal, especially something that needs time, effort, or skill: · Prepare a vinaigrette dressing with olive oil, white wine vinegar, and mustard.· Some French dishes take hours to prepare.· Mrs Fujimoto prepared a delicious meal for them.
spoken informal to make a particular kind of food: do something: · I was thinking of doing fish tonight.do somebody something: · I could do you an omelette.
to make an unusual or unpleasant drink, dish, or medicine, by mixing together several different things: concoct something: · For the party, they had concocted a special cocktail containing, among other things, rum and vodka.concoct something out of: · Whenever I had a cold, my grandmother would concoct a remedy out of herbs, ginger, lemons and garlic.
to make a drink by mixing two or more liquids or substances together: · If they sell cocktails would you ask the bartender to mix a Harvey Wallbanger?· You can leave the meal cooking while you mix a drink for your guests.
: put the dinner/potatoes/vegetables etc on to start cooking something: · Can we put the dinner on? I'm starved.· They'll be here soon. You'd better put the steaks on.
if food is on , it is being cooked: · The soup is on, so dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes.· Okay, the chicken is on. What can I do now?
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The Chicago Bears are busy preparing themselves for the big game.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
The Chicago Bears are busy preparing themselves for the big game.· She was willing to admit that she’d made a mistake.
(=write one)· Always write a rough draft of your essay first.· He drew up a draft of the club’s rules and regulations.
· A catering company was hired to prepare the feast.
· I have to cook some food for this evening.
(=to provide the situation or conditions in which something can develop successfully)
· The teachers spend a long time preparing their lessons.
· The surveyor will view the property and prepare a full report.
(=be prepared to do something whenever it is necessary) We should stand ready to do what is necessary to guarantee the peace.
We should stand ready to do what is necessary to guarantee the peace. (=one that is prepared and then read out)· His solicitor read a prepared statement on his behalf.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Most men sported an absurd amount of lethal weaponry, which they were fully prepared to use.· Jackson came over at once, armed with a fully prepared draft of a bill, which he read to the assembly.· You've lost a close friend and however much you anticipated this, you can never be fully prepared for a bereavement.· Intel is currently preparing fully functional samples of the chips for shipment to manufacturers in the second half.· There are so many options prices vary, but Tony suggests a fully prepared Trakmeister car would start at around £14,000.· Haig wisely refused to do this until he was fully prepared.
NOUN· This opportunity to file or publish modified accounts does not limit the requirement to prepare full accounts for the shareholders.· He prepared an account of the will situation to break to her brutally.· Films usually prepare four sets of accounts.
· Experienced researchers are wise to all the tricks used to camouflage a poorly prepared document, so do not encourage criticism.· In the week before work began I prepared three documents.· Now Mr Fallon is preparing a consultative document so the Churches can comment before the new rules for capital funding are finalised.· As soon as you've completed your pre-completion agenda you should proceed to prepare all the documents listed under head 2 above.· A certificate of judgement is still required, but see r 27 enabling judgment creditors to prepare documents for the court.· Cheshire County Council has prepared two documents warning of the danger faced by Cheshire industry.· Government requires the Council to prepare this important document.
· Sefa-Dedeh is now developing a simple process to prepare a high protein food from cereals and legumes.· In the mill it; has prepared the brothers' food and its duty is now to serve in making their clothing.· Supermarkets, specialty food shops, bakeries and caterers are sources of quality prepared foods.· Having to prepare our food on a couple of electric rings was a challenge I enjoyed.· His servant hastened to make all ready, build fires and heat water for the baths and prepare food.· I prefer to prepare the food and I also like to serve the drinks.· Evidently Minna was also hungry, because she prepared food for herself as well.
· Industry preparing for the Government legislation is luring inspectors away faster than they can be recruited to enforce it.· There was talk of preparing an Ulster provisional government and creating an Ulster Volunteer Force.· Ministers prepare for cuts Government ministers have been meeting to prepare major spending cuts ahead of Chancellor Clarke's Budget speech next month.· A retraining package is already being prepared by government.· In Opposition days, Heath the permanent secretary manqué set about preparing for government with a will.
· In fact, the new sciences are malting such an impact because two simultaneous developments have prepared the ground.· If we are to achieve those in practice, we must first prepare the ground carefully.· They're also prepared to do the ground spraying on short notice.· Party insiders said the move was to help prepare the ground for him to eventually stand in place of John Hume.· It is hoped that volunteers can start work on preparing the ground in a few weeks time.· Jacques Chirac has openly attacked the government and prepared the ground for a single rightwing presidential candidate-himself.· This year you must prepare the ground, sort out family relationships and establish a stronger material and financial base.
· By the time Eline came home at dinner time, Nina had prepared a meal of bread and cheese.· She prepared the meals and pumped the water and drew t e baths and swept the rugs and made the beds.· Cliff is only too pleased to prepare a celebratory meal for any special occasion.· Yet these men not only prepared their own meals but they invited women to share the meals with them.· She left the envelope on her dining table while she prepared her evening meal.· One afternoon she realized that her friend was too weak to prepare his own meals.· Women did their shopping, gossiped, then went home to prepare the Sunday meals for their families.· Chris, for example, wants to be a chef and works for the dining services preparing meals.
· Your manager may ask your views when preparing the detailed operation plan for meeting targets in the year ahead.· Members of the public would not need to prepare plans, construct prototypes or conduct tests.· Each would prepare a business plan that included sales projections, budget requirements, and net profitability.· Your views Many people have been involved in preparing the Community Care Plan.· Unfriendly takeovers represent a constant threat to underperforming companies with ill prepared strategic plans.· During my lessons that morning I prepared a plan of action.· Do not, for example, equate time spent preparing plans with impact.
· BBut the administrators who prepared the report concluded that HMOs should not be singled out.· The Giants would have to prepare a separate environmental report for their site.· My boss hired two consultants to prepare a report.· Meanwhile, the guardian ad litem appointed on behalf of the children was preparing her report.· I prepared and presented reports to committees and worked in other departments such as planning and trading standards.· An accountant friend is now helping him prepare the reports.
· This approach was extended to cover the activities of all works contractors who had to prepare detailed statements for discussion and approval.· I prepared a brief statement which I instructed Mrs Metz to give out.· Note that this aggregation applies whether or not the parent prepares consolidated financial statements.· It needs to be taken into account when preparing the completion statement at completion.
VERB· Phillips bravely read out the statement he had hastily helped David Howell prepare after training.· Role models, as we have discussed, can be invaluable in helping you prepare your own road map.· She had helped to prepare the table.· Services to parents and teachers include providing requested information, duplicating materials, and helping plan and prepare teacher-made materials.· Father Pat Day helped us to prepare through meditation, talking about the sacrament, and a service of Reconciliation.· Separate versions of the software also are available at an additional charge to help you prepare your state income tax return.· Party insiders said the move was to help prepare the ground for him to eventually stand in place of John Hume.· But an editor can help prepare several dishes at once.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► (be prepared to) go to the stake for/over something
- A third preliminary task was to prepare the ground for the recruitment of support workers.
- Edelstone and other analysts expect this chip will prepare the way for the K6, due out next year.
- His staff could prepare the way for this.
- In other words, he is preparing the ground for a partition of the province.
- It prepared the way for the men who were to prepare the way for the Council.
- This helped prepare the ground for Labour's literacy and numeracy hours, which have achieved outstanding success.
- With hindsight, one can see how Mr Gorbachev has been preparing the ground for this week's changes.
- Yet the volume closes with three sonnets which prepare the way for the intensely symbolic landscapes of Mascarilla y trebol.
- After the church service he was conducted to a house ready prepared, where a regal feast was laid before him.
- Anyone who has given online demonstrations and experienced systems breakdown, will appreciate the advantage of having alternative ready prepared demonstration material!
- Brownie albums were provided, with spaces ready prepared for slotting in a sequence of the snapshots.
- But fresh potatoes are less expensive than many of the dehydrated and ready prepared and frozen products.
- Freezer: Pack of steaks, beefburgers, fish-fingers, peas, runner beans, ready cooked curry meal, cod.
- Microwave combination ovens can successfully prime cook fresh and frozen foods and regenerate ready cooked dishes from chilled and frozen.
- But one must be suitably dressed for a country visit and I had absolutely nothing fit to wear.
- They, too, regardless of the loss of their leader, were intent on being suitably dressed for Bank Holiday.
- Earlier legislation paved the way by limiting the use of custody as a penalty for offenders under the age of twenty-one.
- He believes the Government has missed the opportunity to pave the way for badly needed investment.
- He gave as an example some of the early work in genetics which has paved the way for biotechnological developments.
- She would pave the way for a much more slender ideal: the flapper.
- Such developments are paving the way to rapprochement between conventional and complementary medicine.
- Was he paving the way for another referendum?
- When Ken wants to give his girlfriend a kiss he first calls in a construction team to clear the way.
WORD FAMILYnounpreparationpreparationspreparednessadjectiveprepared ≠ unpreparedpreparatoryverbprepare
1make something [transitive] a)to make a meal or a substance: Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking. When we got home, Stephano was busy preparing dinner. b)to write a document, make a programme etc: Health and safety officers will investigate the site and prepare a report. Green set himself the task of preparing a map of this remote area.► see thesaurus at cookRegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that someone makes a meal rather than prepares it:· Who’s making dinner tonight?· I’ll make the gravy.2make plans/arrangements [intransitive, transitive] to make plans or arrangements for something that will happen in the future SYN get readyprepare for The 45-year-old explorer has been preparing for his latest expedition to the Arctic.prepare to do something Her parents were busy preparing to go on holiday. The prosecution wanted more time to prepare their case.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that someone gets ready for something rather than prepares for it:· We’re getting ready to move next week.3make something ready [transitive] to make something ready to be used: Prepare the soil, then plant the seedlings eight inches apart.prepare something for somebody/something Coulthard’s team were up all night preparing the car for the race.4make yourself ready [transitive] to make yourself mentally or physically ready for something that you expect to happen soonprepare yourself (for something) The letter arrived, and we prepared ourselves for bad news. Can you just give me a couple more moments to prepare myself?prepare yourself for a race/fight etc The Chicago Bears are busy preparing themselves for the big game.prepare to do something Buy the album, and prepare to be amazed.5make somebody ready [transitive] to provide someone with the training, skills, experience etc that they will need to do a job or to deal with a situationprepare somebody for something a course that prepares students for English examinations Schools should do more to prepare children for the world of work. What does a coach do to prepare his team for the Superbowl?6prepare the way/ground for somebody/something to make it possible for something to be achieved, or for someone to succeed in doing something: Curie’s research prepared the way for the work of modern nuclear scientists.THESAURUSto prepare for an eventprepare to make plans or arrangements for something that will happen in the future so that you will be ready when it happens: · He only had a few hours to prepare for the interview.· The family are preparing to move to Queensland.get ready to prepare for something. Get ready is less formal than prepare and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English: · Smith has been busy getting ready for the race.· The army was getting ready to attack.make preparations to prepare for an event that needs a lot of planning: · The couple are making preparations for their wedding next year.gear up to prepare for an important event – used about companies, organizations, cities etc: · Stores are gearing up for the busy Christmas shopping period.· The city is gearing up for the Olympics.to prepare something so it can be usedprepare to make something ready to be used: · Have you prepared your speech?· Groundsmen were preparing the pitch for tomorrow’s game.get something ready to prepare something. Get something ready is less formal than prepare and is the usual phrase to use in everyday English: · They were getting the ship ready to sail.set (something) up to prepare equipment so that it is ready to be used: · It will take a few minutes to set the camera up.· The band was setting up on the stage.