in a general sense, the act of disposing things in such a manner as to render any foreseen event more advantageous or less hurtful according to its nature.

Preparation of Difficulties, in music, is their disposition in harmony in such a manner, that, by some thing congenial in what precedes, they may be rendered less harsh to the ear than they would be without that precaution: according to this definition, every discord ought to be prepared. But when, in order to prepare preparations, in Pharmacy, the medicines when mixed together in such a manner as to be fit for the use of the patient. See Pharmacy, under Materia Medica.