prepare for
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To make oneself ready in mind or feeling for an anticipated, typically difficult or unpleasant, event or experience. It involves a process of mental or emotional adjustment or acceptance before something occurs.
Usage
- The verb phrase "prepare for" is used with a direct object (the thing being prepared for). This object is typically a noun, noun phrase, or gerund.
- It describes an internal, psychological process rather than a physical action of getting things ready.
- Common structures: , .
Examples
- (She attempted to get herself emotionally ready to hear the bad news.)
- (The team is getting mentally ready for a negotiation they expect to be difficult.)
- (One should mentally accept the possibility of failure.)
- (He did not have an opportunity to brace himself emotionally for the shocking event.)
Advanced Usage
- "to prepare oneself for": This is a more emphatic form, explicitly focusing on the internal state of the subject.
- You must prepare yourself for the possibility that he will say no.
- The object of "for" can be complex or abstract.
- The soldiers prepared for the horrors of war.
- We need to prepare for the eventuality of a market downturn.
Variants and Related Words
- Preparation (n): The act or process of making ready.
- Mental preparation is key.
- Prepared (adj): Being in a state of readiness.
- He felt prepared for the challenge.
- Preparatory (adj): Serving to make ready.
- She attended a preparatory course.
Synonyms
- Brace oneself for: To steady oneself in anticipation of something difficult.
- Steel oneself for: To mentally harden or strengthen oneself against something.
- Gird oneself for: (Formal/literary) To prepare oneself for a difficult task or event.
- Psych oneself up for: (Informal) To mentally prepare, often for a performance or competition.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Prepare for is itself a phrasal verb. Its core meaning is distinct from the simple verb "prepare," which can involve physical acts (e.g., , ). "Prepare for" specifically denotes the mental/emotional anticipation.
Related Idioms
- Batten down the hatches: To prepare for a period of difficulty or trouble. (Note: This idiom implies both physical and mental preparation for a "storm.")
- Forewarned is forearmed: Being warned about something in advance allows you to prepare for it.
Verb
-
prepare mentally or emotionally for something unpleasant
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