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, 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.

Want of preparation. [Obs.] Hooker.

Neglect or failure to prepare; want of preparation.

The act or preparation of charging with carbonic acid gas or with oxygen.

By of before the time that; in preparation for; so as to be ready for the time when. [Archaic or Dial.] Urijah the priest made it, against King Ahaz came from Damascus. 2 Kings xvi. 11. Against the sun, in a direction contrary to that in which the sun appears to move.

in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear. Alarmed by rumors of military preparation. Macaulay.

Proportionate; commensurate; suitable; as, an achievement answerable to the preparation for it.

A preparation or medicine containing antimony. Antimonial powder, a consisting of one part oxide of antimony and two parts phosphate of calcium; -- also called James's powder.

the incus. See Incus. To be on the anvil, to be in a state of discussion, formation, or preparation, as when a scheme or measure is forming, but not matured. Swift.

Preparation. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Preparatory proceeding or measure; preparation; as, we have made arrangement for receiving company.

), a standing committee of the Scottish Parliament to whom was intrusted the drafting and preparation of the acts, or bills for laws. -- The Thirty-nine Articles, statements (thirty-nine in number) of the tenets held by the Church of England.

The preparation of the back of a book with glue, etc., before putting on the cover.

A preparation of claret, spiced and sweetened.

d without scorching its contents; -- used for warming or preparing food or pharmaceutical preparations.

An alkaline solution consisting of the dung of certain animals; -- employed in the preparation of hides; grainer. Knight.

sorted to for its hot springs, which has given its name to various objects. Bath brick, a preparation of calcareous earth, in the form of a brick, used for cleaning knives, polished metal, etc. -- Bath chair, a kind of chair on wheels, as used by invalids at Bath. "People walked out, or drove out, or were pushed out i…

A ferruginous hydrate of alumina. It is largely used in the preparation of aluminium and alumina, and for the lining of furnaces which are exposed to intense heat.

By way of preparation, or preliminary; previously; aforetime. They may be taught beforehand the skill of speaking. Hooker.

matra, Java, etc., having a fragrant odor, and slightly aromatic taste. It is used in the preparation of benzoic acid, in medicine, and as a perfume.