Prepare vs. Prep — What's the Difference?

To make ready beforehand for a specific purpose, as for an event or occasion

Preparatory

To put together or make by combining various elements or ingredients; manufacture or compound

A preparatory school.

To fit out; equip

Preparation

(Music) To lead up to and soften (a dissonance or its impact) by means of preparation.

A preppie.

To make things or oneself ready

To be enrolled in and attend a preparatory school.

(transitive) To make ready for a specific future purpose; to set up; to assemble or equip.

To prepare for something

(transitive) To make ready for eating or drinking; to cook.

To prepare (someone) for a medical examination or surgical procedure.

(intransitive) To make oneself ready; to get ready, make preparation.

To prepare or prime

(transitive) To produce or make by combining elements; to synthesize, compound.

(countable) Preparation.

(obsolete) preparation

Abbreviation of preposition

To fit, adapt, or qualify for a particular purpose or condition; to make ready; to put into a state for use or application; as, to prepare ground for seed; to prepare a lesson.

A prep school.

To procure as suitable or necessary; to get ready; to provide; as, to prepare ammunition and provisions for troops; to prepare ships for defence; to prepare an entertainment.

A student or graduate of a prep school, a preppy.

To make all things ready; to put things in order; as, to prepare for a hostile invasion.

Homework, work set to do outside class time, used widely in public schools and preparatory schools but not state schools.

To make one's self ready; to get ready; to take the necessary previous measures; as, to prepare for death.

(Australia) Nursery school; preschool.

Preparation.

(Philippines) Preparatory level; the last two levels or the fourth and fifth years of preschool; the two levels before first grade.

Make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc;

Alternative form of PrEP

Prepare for eating by applying heat;

(informal) To prepare.

To prepare verbally, either for written or spoken delivery;

Preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home)

Arrange by systematic planning and united effort;

Prepare (someone) for a future role or function;

Create by training and teaching;

Lead up to and soften by sounding the dissonant note in it as a consonant note in the preceding chord;

Undergo training or instruction in preparation for a particular role, function, or profession;