ready
completely prepared or in fit condition for immediate action or use: troops ready for battle;Dinner is ready.
duly equipped, completed, adjusted, or arranged, as for an occasion or purpose: The mechanic called to say that the car is ready.
willing: ready to forgive.
prompt or quick in perceiving, comprehending, speaking, writing, etc.
proceeding from or showing such quickness: a ready reply.
prompt or quick in action, performance, manifestation, etc.: a keen mind and ready wit.
inclined; disposed; apt: too ready to criticize others.
in such a condition as to be imminent; likely at any moment: a tree ready to fall.
immediately available for use: a ready source of cash.
pertaining to prompt payment.
present or convenient: to lie ready to one's hand.
to make ready; prepare.
the state or condition of being ready.
Informal. ready money; cash.
(used in calling the start of a race to indicate that racers should be prepared to start): Ready! Set! Go!
Idioms about ready
at the ready, in a condition of readiness, available for immediate use: shoppers with their umbrellas at the ready;soldiers keeping their weapons at the ready.
get ready! (in calling the start of a race) be prepared to start: Get ready! Get set! Go!
make ready,
to bring to a state of readiness or completion; prepare.
Printing. to ready a press for printing.
ready up, British and Australian Slang. to swindle.
Origin of ready
1confusables note For ready
Other words for ready
Opposites for ready
Other words from ready
- o·ver·read·y, adjective
- pre·read·y, adjective
Words Nearby ready
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use ready in a sentence
That the information had always been there, but I had not been ready to receive it.
How Laurence Fishburne Gave Voice To ‘The Autobiography Of Malcolm X’ | Joi-Marie McKenzie | September 17, 2020 | Essence.com“We’re united and ready to lead,” McCarthy said as Republican members stood behind him.
Trump, in town hall, says he wouldn’t have done anything differently on pandemic | Colby Itkowitz, Josh Dawsey, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner | September 16, 2020 | Washington PostEven TVOS 14 is going official, so get ready to spend some time downloading updates tomorrow.
Apple just announced a new iPad, iPad Air, and Apple Watch Series 6 | Stan Horazek | September 15, 2020 | Popular-ScienceNew queens make quacking vibrations when they are ready to hatch.
Quacks and toots help young honeybee queens avoid deadly duels | Sharon Oosthoek | September 14, 2020 | Science News For StudentsYou’re expected to not just receive it with a smile, but be ready to give it at any point.
What if Your Company Had No Rules? (Bonus Episode) | Maria Konnikova | September 12, 2020 | Freakonomics
Yves Albarello, MP of Seine-et-Marne, said the gunmen told police they were ready to “die as martyrs.”
The U.S. military just unveiled a new effort to get Iraqis ready to battle ISIS.
Pentagon Insider on New Plan to Fight ISIS: ‘Of Course It’s Not Enough’ | Nancy A. Youssef | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTIf he did, it could be a sign that our politicians are ready to resume genuine policy-making across party lines.
This is a provocative subject that is ready-made for the classroom.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’ | Gary May | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTIf there is actually a war on Christmas, famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson seems ready to lead the fight.
Neil deGrasse Tyson Trolls Christians on Christmas | Ben Jacobs | December 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIt secures in many cases, at least, a ready compliance with a large part of the discipline enforced.
Children's Ways | James SullyLater on, I believe, a child is wont to have his favourite colour, and to be ready to defend it against the preferences of others.
Children's Ways | James SullyThe camp grew still, except for the rough and ready cook pottering about the fire, boiling buffalo-meat and mixing biscuit-dough.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairLet your orders for preparation go round tonight, so that your knaves may be ready to set out betimes to-morrow.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniHe was mounted on a spirited horse and his manner showed he was ready for any kind of an adventure, no matter where it might lead.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. Dunn
British Dictionary definitions for ready
/ (ˈrɛdɪ) /
in a state of completion or preparedness, as for use or action
willing or eager: ready helpers
prompt or rapid: a ready response
(prenominal) quick in perceiving; intelligent: a ready mind
(postpositive foll by to) on the point (of) or liable (to): ready to collapse
(postpositive) conveniently near (esp in the phrase ready to hand)
make ready or get ready to prepare oneself or something for use or action
the ready informal short for ready money
at the ready
poised for use or action: with pen at the ready
(of a rifle) in the position normally adopted immediately prior to aiming and firing
(tr) to put in a state of readiness; prepare
Origin of ready
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with ready
In addition to the idiom beginning with ready
, also see
- at the ready
- get ready
- good and (ready)
- rough and ready
.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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