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Made fit or suitable; adapted; ready; as, prepared food; prepared questions. -- Pre*par"ed*ly, adv. Shak. -- Pre*par"ed*ness, n.

Contrary to nature or reason; not adapted to the end; utterly and glaringly foolish; unreasonably absurd; perverted. "Most preposterous conclusions." Shak. Preposterous ass, that never read so far! Shak.

ms upon an iron bed, and, as the case required, either stretched or cut of their legs to adapt them to its length; -- whence the metaphorical phrase, the bed of Procrustes.

A body projected, or impelled forward, by force; especially, a missile adapted to be shot from a firearm.

The relation or adaptation of one portion to another, or to the whole, as respect magnitude, quantity, or degree; comparative relation; ratio; as, the proportion of the parts of a building, or of the body. The image of Christ, made after his own proportion. Ridley. Formed in the best proportions of her sex. Sir W. Scot…

In proportion; in due degree; adapted relatively; as, all parts of the building are proportionally large. Sir I. Newton.

Adapted to persuade; hortatory; persuasive. [Obs.] Bp. Ward.

ir M. Hale. Prudence supposes the value of the end to be assumed, and refers only to the adaptation of the means. It is the relation of right means for given ends. Whewell.

Sagacious in adapting means to ends; circumspect in action, or in determining any line of conduct; practically wise; judicious; careful; discreet; sensible; -- opposed to rash; as, a prudent man; dictated or directed by prudence or wise forethought; evincing prudence; as, prudent behavior. Moses established a grave and…

A flat-bottomed boat with square ends. It is adapted for use in shallow waters.

Any fossil fish belonging to the Pycnodontini. They have numerous round, flat teeth, adapted for crushing.

A cycle having five crank shafts and adapted for five riders, all of whom can assist in the propulsion.

Adapted for seizing prey; -- said of the legs, claws, etc., of insects, birds, and other animals.

Any organ of an animal having a structure adapted to produce a ratting sound.

ification, etc.; to bring under rules or within certain limits of descriptions and terms adapted to use in computation; as, to reduce animals or vegetables to a class or classes; to reduce a series of observations in astronomy; to reduce language to rules.

hat part of a sail which is taken in or let out by means of the reef points, in order to adapt the size of the sail to the force of the wind.

Tending or adapted to remind; careful to remind. Southey.

One of a group of aquatic beetles having tarsi adapted for swimming. See Water beetle.

Suitable for being breathed; adapted for respiration. -- Re*spir"a*ble*ness, n.

A recitation or song of a rhapsodist; a portion of an epic poem adapted for recitation, or usually recited, at one time; hence, a division of the Iliad or the Odyssey; -- called also a book.