preparation of tools; setting up equipment
Refers to the act of getting tools, implements, or equipment ready for a task, or the state of being prepared with the necessary gear. Often used in contexts like cooking, crafts, or stage setup.
Before starting to cook, I get the tools ready.
The stage setup is not finished yet.
Compound of 道具 (どうぐ, 'tool') and 立て (だて, from 立てる, 'to set up'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word transparently means 'setting up tools'.