different between prepare vs soften

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French preparer, from Classical Latin praepar?re (“make ready in advance”), from prae- (“pre-”) + par?re (“make ready”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /p???p??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /p???p???/, /p???p???/

Verb

prepare (third-person singular simple present prepares, present participle preparing, simple past and past participle prepared)

1. (transitive) To make ready for a specific future purpose; to set up; to assemble or equip.

   • that they may prepare a city for habitation

   • our souls, not yet prepared for upper light

2. (transitive) To make ready for eating or drinking; to cook.

3. (intransitive) To make oneself ready; to get ready, make preparation.

4. (transitive) To produce or make by combining elements; to synthesize, compound.

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that can take a following verb in its to + infinitive form. See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Synonyms

• busk (obsolete), graith (obsolete), ready, yark (obsolete)

Related terms

• preparation

Derived terms

• if you want peace, prepare for war (proverb)

Translations

Noun

prepare

1. (obsolete) preparation
   • 1595, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 3, IV. i. 130:

     Go levy men, and make prepare for war;

Anagrams

• paperer, repaper

Haitian Creole

Etymology

From French préparer (“prepare”), from Latin praepar?re (“make ready in advance”), from prae- (“pre-”) + par?re (“make ready”).

Verb

prepare

1. prepare

Portuguese

Verb

prepare

1. first-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of preparar
2. third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present subjunctive of preparar
3. third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of preparar
4. third-person singular (você) negative imperative of preparar

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pre?pare]

Verb

prepare

1. third-person singular present subjunctive of prepara
2. third-person plural present subjunctive of prepara

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?e?pa?e/, [p?e?pa.?e]

Verb

prepare

1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of preparar.
2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of preparar.
3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of preparar.
4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of preparar.

English

Etymology

From Middle English softenen, softnen, equivalent to soft +? -en.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s?f?n/, enPR: s?f?en
• (US) IPA^(key): /?s?f?n/, enPR: sôf?en
• (US, cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA^(key): /?s?f?n/, enPR: s?f?en

Verb

soften (third-person singular simple present softens, present participle softening, simple past and past participle softened)

1. (transitive) To make something soft or softer.

   Soften the butter before beating in the sugar.

2. (transitive) To undermine the morale of someone (often soften up).

   Before the invasion, we softened up the enemy with the artillery.

3. (transitive) To make less harsh

   Having second thoughts, I softened my criticism.
4. (intransitive) To become soft or softer

   The butter softened as it warmed up.

Derived terms

• soften the ground
• softener

Translations

See also

• mollify
• neshen

Anagrams

• Sefton