eager beaver

American  

[ee-ger] / ˈi gər /

noun

1. a person who is excessively diligent or overly zealous.

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eager beaver British  

noun

1. informal a person who displays conspicuous diligence, esp one who volunteers for extra work

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eager beaver Idioms  

1. An exceptionally zealous person, one who habitually takes on more tasks or works harder than others. For example, Bill is a real eager beaver, always volunteering to stay late. This expression became especially popular during World War II, applied to recruits anxious to impress their commanding officers by such behavior. [First half of 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of eager beaver

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

And it wasn’t that long ago that they were young, eager beaver startups changing the world.

From Forbes • Sep. 11, 2014

But the year was actually 1997, and Mr. Campbell was a 24-year-old eager beaver of seemingly boundless confidence and ambition.

From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2010

His constant grating presence -- the eager beaver who sets everybody's teeth on edge -- has added a dash of vinegar to the cotton-candy formula.

From Time Magazine Archive

Actually, Swayze is more eager beaver than elephant.

From Time Magazine Archive

If I looked like one of the eager beaver kids from debate, everything would be different.

From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden