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ready
get ready
To prepare for something. Get ready to see the best movie of your life! I have to go home early so I can get ready for our trip tomorrow.
ready for the knacker's yard
In a state of ruin or failure due to having become useless or obsolete. Refers to a slaughterhouse for old or injured horses. Once a booming industry, home video rental was ready for the knacker's yard as soon as the Internet became a common household utility.
make (oneself or something) ready (for someone or something)
To become or make something prepared for something or someone. I don't think I'll have enough time to make myself ready for the gala this evening! John, please make the spare rooms ready for Jane and the kids before they get here. Gentlemen, make ready for our immediate departure!
ready money
Cash funds that are immediately at hand to spend. I hear he has expensive taste, so if you're going to date him, be sure you've got plenty of ready money. Good thing his wife's family has plenty of ready money. I don't know how they could afford to raise a child otherwise.
ready and willing
Prepared and inclined to do something. We'll be there, ornaments in hand, ready and willing to help you decorate! If you're going to join this firm, you have to be ready and willing to work long hours and weekends.
anytime you're ready
A phrase that encourages the listener to take or start a course of action. A: "Can I start the meeting now?" B: "Sure, anytime you're ready."
at the ready
Available for use at any time. My sister could go into labor any day now, so I have my phone constantly at the ready. The volunteers descended on the garden, their shovels at the ready.
all dressed up and nowhere to go
Ready for an event or occasion that has since been canceled. Jimmy canceled our date tonight, so I'm all dressed up and nowhere to go. A: "Why is Jill is all dressed up and nowhere to go?" B: "Oh, because the friend she was supposed to meet got sick."
all dressed up and nowhere to go
and all dressed up with nowhere to go completely ready for somethingthat has been postponed or has failed to materialize. (May be literal or figurative.) Tom: I just heard that your company is closed today. Fred: Gee, I'm all dressed up and nowhere to go. The space shot was cancelled, so all the astronauts are all dressed up with nowhere to go.
Anytime you are ready,
and Anytime you're ready.a phrase indicating that the speaker is waiting for the person spoken to to make the appropriate move or action. Mary: I think it's about time to go. Bill: Anytime you're ready. Surgeon: Shall we begin the operation?Nurse: Anytime you're ready, Doctor.
(Are you) ready for this?
a way of presenting a piece of news or information that is expected to excite or surprise the person spoken to. Tom: Boy, do I have something to tell you! Are you ready for this? Mary: Sure. Let me have it! Tom: Now, here's a great joke! Are you ready for this? It is so funny! Alice: I can hardly wait.
(Are you) ready to order?
Would you please tell me what you want as your meal? (A standard phrase used in eating establishments to find out what a customer wants to eat.) The waitress came over and asked, "Are you ready to order?" Tom: I know what I want. What about you, Sally? Are you ready to order? Sally: Don't rush me!
on your mark, get set, go
and ready, set, go[in preparing to start a race involving speed] move to the starting point, get set to move, go. Runners on your mark, get set, go.
*ready (to do something)
prepared to do something. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) Get ready to jump! It's time to get ready to go to work.
ready, willing, and able
Cliché eager or at least willing [to do something]. If you need someone to help you move furniture, I'm ready, willing, and able. Fred is ready, willing, and able to do anything you ask him.
rough-and-ready
1. strong, active, and ready for anything. John is not exactly rough-and-ready, but he is a moderately good athlete. Ralph is very rough-and-ready, but his table manners are very bad.
2. Go to rough-and-tumble.
rough-and-tumble
and rough-and-readydisorderly; aggressive. That was a rough-and-tumble football game. George is too rough-and-ready for me. He doesn't know how to act around civilized people.
when one is good and ready
when one is completely ready. I'll be there when I'm good and ready. Ann will finish the job when she's good and ready and not a minute sooner.
make ready to do something
to prepare to do something He made ready to jump in the water and swim to shore as soon as the boat neared the beach.
at the ready
ready for use Military police leapt out of the car, their weapons at the ready.
ready to roll
1. prepared to start doing something Once you have the software loaded, you're ready to roll.
2. prepared to leave Give me a call when you're ready to roll.
fit/ready to drop
extremely tired I'd just walked 10 miles and I was ready to drop.
See drop guard, drop into lapbe ready to roll
1. (mainly American) to be going to start soon The new TV series from the Hill Street Blues creator, Steve Bochco, is ready to roll.
2. (American) to be going to leave soon Give me a call when you're ready to roll, and I'll meet you outside.
ready cash/money
money that is immediately available to spend They need investors with ready money if they're going to get the project started.
See fit to droprough and ready
1. if you do something in a rough and ready way, you do it quickly and without preparing it carefully I've done a rough and ready translation of the instructions. I hope it's clear enough.
2. not very polite or well educated Just a warning about the men who work for him, they're a bit rough and ready.
at the ready
Available for immediate use, as in Umbrellas at the ready, we were prepared to brave the storm. This idiom was originally a military term in which the ready denoted the position of a firearm prepared to be raised and aimed or fired. [First half of 1800s]
get ready
Also,
make ready. Become prepared or make preparations for something. For example,
It'll take me another hour to get ready for the painter, or
Jane promised to make the room ready for our guests. [Late 1500s] Also see
get set.
ready, willing, and able
Well prepared and eager to do something, as in Any time you want me to babysit, I'm ready, willing, and able.
rough and ready
Unrefined or makeshift but available for use or action, as in The agenda is somewhat rough and ready, but it covers the main issues. [First half of 1800s]
(Are you) ready for this?
interrog. Are you prepared to hear this news? (A way of presenting a piece of news or information that is expected to excite or surprise the person spoken to.) Boy, do I have something to tell you! Are you ready for this?
ready for this?
verbrough and ready
mod. vigorous and eager. After a good night’s sleep, I feel rough and ready—I could take on a bear. My friend is the rough and ready type. I’d rather sit and think about things.
at the ready
Available for immediate use: soldiers with machine guns at the ready; students with notebooks at the ready.
make ready
To make preparations.