1. (n.) The act of preparing or fitting beforehand for a particular purpose, use, service, or condition; previous arrangement or adaptation; a making ready; as, the preparation of land for a crop of wheat; the preparation of troops for a campaign.

2. (n.) The state of being prepared or made ready; preparedness; readiness; fitness; as, a nation in good preparation for war.

3. (n.) That which makes ready, prepares the way, or introduces; a preparatory act or measure.

4. (n.) That which is prepared, made, or compounded by a certain process or for a particular purpose; a combination. Specifically: (a) Any medicinal substance fitted for use. (b) Anything treated for preservation or examination as a specimen. (c) Something prepared for use in cookery.

5. (n.) An army or fleet.

6. (n.) The holding over of a note from one chord into the next chord, where it forms a temporary discord, until resolved in the chord that follows; the anticipation of a discordant note in the preceding concord, so that the ear is prepared for the shock. See Suspension.

7. (n.) Accomplishment; qualification.

accouterment adaptation anticipation apprenticeship architecture armament arrangement arrangements assembly balm balsam basic training breaking breeding briefing building casting catering chandlery composing composition compound concoction conditioning construction contemplation conversion crafting craftsmanship cramming creation cultivation development devising discipline discretion drill drilling drops drug education elaboration electuary elixir endowment envisagement envisionment equipment erection ethical drug exercise extraction fabrication farseeingness farsightedness fashioning fetching-up finding fitness fitting out forecast foreglance foregleam foreglimpse forehandedness foreseeing foresight foresightedness formation forming formulation fostering foundation framing furnishing furnishment generic name grooming groundwork growing handicraft handiwork harmonization harvesting herbs housebreaking improvement in-service training inhalant instruction instrumentation intonation investment lincture linctus logistics longsightedness looking ahead machining making manual training manufacture manufacturing materia medica material measures medicament medication medicinal medicinal herbs medicine military training milling mining mixture modulation molding nonprescription drug nurture nurturing officinal on-the-job training orchestration organization organizing outfitting patent medicine pharmacon phrasing physic planning plans powder practice prediction prefabrication prep preparing prepping prepublication prescription drug preview prevision proceedings processing procurement producing product proprietary proprietary medicine proprietary name prospect prospection providence providing provision provisioning provisions prudence purveyance putting together raising readiness readying rearing refining rehearsal reinforcement replenishment resolution resupply retailing sagacity selling setting shaping simples sloyd smelting solution spadework study studying stuff subsidization subsidy substance subvention supply supplying suspension swotting syrup teaching theraputant tisane tone painting training transcription tuition upbringing vegetable remedies victualing vocational education vocational training work workmanship