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Prepare vs Ready - What's the difference?

prepare | ready |

Ready is a synonym of prepare.



As verbs the difference between prepare and ready

is that prepare is to make ready for a specific future purpose; to set up; to assemble while ready is to make prepared for action.

As nouns the difference between prepare and ready

is that prepare is preparation while ready is ready money; cash.

As an adjective ready is

prepared for immediate action or use.

prepare

English

Verb

(prepar)
  • To make ready for a specific future purpose; to set up; to assemble.
  • * Bible, Psalms cvii. 36
    • that they may prepare a city for habitation
  • * Dryden
    • our souls, not yet prepared for upper light
  • To make ready for eating or drinking; to cook.
  • To make oneself ready; to get ready, make preparation.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=19 citation , passage=As soon as Julia returned with a constable, Timothy, who was on the point of exhaustion, prepared to give over to him gratefully. The newcomer turned out to be a powerful youngster, fully trained and eager to help, and he stripped off his tunic at once.}}
  • To produce or make by combining elements; to synthesize, compound.

    • Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb that can take a following verb in its to + infinitive form. See

    Synonyms

    * (l), (l), (l), (l), (l)

    Noun

  • (obsolete) preparation
  • * 1595 , , IV. i. 130:
    • Go levy men, and make prepare for war;

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    ready

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Prepared for immediate action or use.
  • :
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:If need be, I am ready to forego / And quit.
  • *(Henry Fielding) (1707-1754)
  • *:Dinner was ready .
  • Inclined; apt to happen.
  • Liable at any moment.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • *:My heart is ready to crack.
  • Not slow or hesitating; quick in action or perception of any kind; dexterous; prompt; easy; expert.
  • :
  • *Sir (Walter Scott) (1771-1832)
  • *:whose temper was ready , through surly
  • * (1800-1859)
  • *:ready in devising expedients
  • *
  • *:Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust. Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist), author=Lexington
    • , title= Keeping the mighty honest , passage=The [Washington] Post's proprietor through those turbulent [Watergate] days, Katharine Graham, held a double place in Washington’s hierarchy: at once regal Georgetown hostess and scrappy newshound, ready to hold the establishment to account.}}
  • Offering itself at once; at hand; opportune; convenient.
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:the readiest way
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:A sapling pine he wrenched from out the ground, / The readiest weapon that his fury found.

    • Synonyms

    * good to go

    Verb

  • To make prepared for action.

    • Derived terms

    * at the ready * cable ready * camera-ready * make-ready * on the ready * oven-ready * * readiness * ready-made * ready money * ready or not * ready reckoner * ready room * * * ready to hand * ready-to-wear * * rough and ready

    Related terms

    * (l)

    Noun

  • (slang) ready money; cash
  • * Arbuthnot
    • Lord Strut was not flush in ready , either to go to law, or to clear old debts.

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * (l) * (l) * (l) 1000 English basic words