loaded for bear

1. Fully prepared for action; also, spoiling for a fight. For example, Bill tackled his new sales route loaded for bear, or When Martin was three hours late, his wife was loaded for bear. This term, dating from the mid-1800s, alludes to the heavy charge of powder or lead that hunters use for large animals like a bear.

Example Sentences

“They are loaded for bear, as they say,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump will come loaded for bear and aim to do what he did in his earlier debate against Biden, lie and obfuscate to such an immense degree that viewers will only be aware of his messages.

From Salon

“Chase Elliott is a heck of a road course racer. I know Hendrick Motorsports is coming loaded for bear for him the next two races.”

From Seattle Times

“The audience, primed by her past publicity as Farouk’s gal, had come to the theater loaded for bear,” The Globe wrote.

From New York Times

“It’s surprising for a rookie justice to speak a lot, let alone more than anyone else. Justice Jackson clearly came out of the gate loaded for bear, to mix metaphors. She speechifies at times, but it’s clear that she’s done the work to ask about the minutiae of various cases,” he said.

From Washington Times