not having made all the necessary preparations for something
The ill-prepared troops were left to face certain defeat.
The climbers had been ill-prepared.
At that time the country was still woefully ill-prepared for war.
a policy that has left thousands of pupils ill-prepared for life beyond the classroom
But the country is ill-prepared for the transition.
The government was ill-prepared for the problems it now faces.
This leaves Britain ill-prepared for the economic challenges ahead.
The department was ill-prepared to meet this challenge.
We are ill-prepared to cope with famine.
We are ill-prepared to deal with a sudden crisis.