preparation
/ˌprepəˈreɪʃən/noun
mass noun
1- the action or process of making ready or being made ready for use or consideration准备（指动作或过程）：
the preparation of a draft contract
合同草本的准备
the project is in preparation.
该项目在筹备中。
1.1
- count noun（一般作preparations）something done to get ready for an event or undertaking预习工作; 准备工作：
she continued her preparations for the party.
她继续为晚会做准备。
1.2
- count noun a substance that is specially made up and usually sold, especially a medicine or food配制品（尤指药品、食物）。
1.3
- count noun a specimen that has been prepared for scientific or medical examination（为科学实验或医药检验预备的）标本：
a microscope preparation.
显微镜标本。
1.5
- Music (in conventional harmony) the sounding of the discordant note in a chord in the preceding chord where it is not discordant, lessening the effect of the discord【乐】准备音。
词源
late Middle English: via Old French from Latin praeparatio（n-）, from praeparare 'make ready before' （see PREPARE）.