different between strengthen vs prepare

English

Etymology

From rare Middle English strengthenen (14th c.), from earlier strengthen (12th c.), where -en is the infinitive ending. Probably the original form was reinterpreted as strength +? -en around the time when the infinitive ending was being apocopated in late Middle English.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?st???(k)??n/, /?st??n??n/

Verb

strengthen (third-person singular simple present strengthens, present participle strengthening, simple past and past participle strengthened)

1. (transitive) To make strong or stronger; to add strength to; to increase the strength of; to fortify.
   • c. 1600, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2

     Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, […]
     With powerful policy strengthen themselves.

   • 1851, Anonymous, Arthur Hamilton, and His Dog

     A little hardship, and a little struggling with the rougher elements of life, will perchance but strengthen and increase his courage, and prepare him for the conflicts and struggles of after years.

2. (transitive) To empower; to give moral strength to; to encourage; to enhearten.
   • 1769, The King James Bible, Deuteronomy iii. 28

     Charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him.

   • "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now against Mr. Benton out there. […]."

3. (transitive) To augment; to improve; to intensify.
4. (transitive) To reinforce, to add to, to support (someone or something)

5. (transitive) To substantiate; to corroborate (a belief, argument, etc.)

6. (intransitive) To grow strong or stronger.

Synonyms

• (to make strong or stronger): See also Thesaurus:strengthen
• (to augment): See also Thesaurus:augment

Antonyms

• weaken
• atrophy

Derived terms

• strengthener

Translations

References

• strengthen in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• strenkþen, strengþen, strengþe, strengþi, strengthe, strenght, strenthe, streynght, streynthyn, streyngthe
• (early) strengðden, strengþin, strencþen

Etymology

From strengthe +? -en.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?str?nk??n/, /?str?n?ð?n/
• (dialectal) IPA^(key): /?str?n??n/, /?str?i?n??n/

Verb

strengthen

1. to strengthen, fortify (increase the strength of)
   • 1395, John Wycliffe, Bible, Job IV:

     Lo! thou hast tau?t ful many men, and thou hast strengthid hondis maad feynt.

2. to empower, to augment (increase the potency or severity of)
3. to enhearten, to encourage (increase the morale of)
4. to assist, to support (someone or something)
5. to substantiate; to corroborate (a belief, argument, etc.)
6. to approve or validate (a document).
7. to endeavour; to rouse oneself.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)

Conjugation

Descendants

• English: strength

References

• “strengthen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

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.