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ready
[ red-ee ]
adjective
- completely prepared or in fit condition for immediate action or use:
troops ready for battle;
Dinner is ready.
Synonyms: ,
Antonyms:
- 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.
Synonyms: , ,
Antonyms:
- prompt or quick in perceiving, comprehending, speaking, writing, etc.
Synonyms: , , , , , , , , ,
- 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.
verb (used with object)
- to make ready; prepare.
noun
- the state or condition of being ready.
- Informal. ready money; cash.
interjection
- (used in calling the start of a race to indicate that racers should be prepared to start):
Ready! Set! Go!
ready
/ ˈɛɪ /
adjective
- 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
- postpositivefoll byto on the point (of) or liable (to)
ready to collapse
- postpositive conveniently near (esp in the phrase ready to hand )
- make ready or get readyto prepare oneself or something for use or action
noun
- 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
verb
- tr to put in a state of readiness; prepare
Confusables Note
Other Word Forms
- v·y adjective
- ·y adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of ready1
Idioms and Phrases
- get ready! (in calling the start of a race) be prepared to start:
Get ready! Get set! Go!
- 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.
- 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.
More idioms and phrases containing ready
In addition to the idiom beginning with ready , also see at the ready ; get ready ; good and (ready) ; rough and ready .Example Sentences
Two young businesswomen from southern China, who did not want to share their names, tell us they have spent the last two years setting up a shoe factory here: "Now it's ready to go."
I think the switch is there to be flipped . . . our innate wiring to be ready for it.
We dressed for the day, then returned to bed for a couple of hours of fitful sleep, ready to go when we needed to.
He doesn’t put them in races until he believes they are ready.
The culture of the game, among players and coaches alike, isn't quite ready for it.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from 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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