ever-readyadj.n.
/ˈɛvəˌrɛdi/, U.S. /ˌɛvərˈrɛdi/ A. adj. (attributive).
Permanently accessible, available, or prepared.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > undertaking > preparation > [adjective] > prepared or ready > always
ever-ready1632
1632 T. Hawkins in tr. P. Matthieu Vnhappy Prosperitie Ep. Ded. sig. A2 Whilst I with due acknowledgement of much Obligation, shall to your Honour seriously devote the ever ready services of Th. Hawkins.
1702 J. Sergeant Of Good Intentions iv. 62 With humble, fervent, and importunate Prayers, implore his ever-ready Assistance.
1800 Lady's Monthly Museum Nov. 398 Where youth and beauty join To point the ever-ready smile!
1828 J. S. Mill in Westm. Rev. 9 257 A summary appeal to that ever-ready standard of comparison, English practice.
1842 H. E. Manning Serm. xxiv. 354 They.., declined also the ever-ready spirit of a Christian life.
1917 ‘Contact’ Airman's Outings iii. 60 That vindictive exponent of frightfulness, Archibald the Ever-Ready [i.e. an anti-aircraft gun].
1936 C. Day Lewis Friendly Tree 15 An ever-ready, over-sweet smile.
2004 J. Henderson tr. Pliny in Hortus iii. 70 The most favoured garden stuff was what needed no fire.., an instantly available and ever-ready asset.
B. n.
Usually in plural. A person or thing that is always ready; spec. (British) (usually with capital initials) a member of the Territorial Army Emergency Reserve or a similar force that is liable to be mobilized at any time.
ΚΠ
1860 W. H. Holcombe Poems 155 O'er hills and swamps away! For liquor and ladies, ‘the ever-readies’, And readier for the fray!
1864 Carthage Republican 21 Jan. in C. J. Scofield Hist. Hancock County (1921) II. iv. 742 Our principal streets presented a finer spectacle than ever did the most gorgeous array of Wide Awakes or Ever Readies.
1871 Temperance Rec. 15 July 328/2 The effect of the drink is such that the men that drink belong to the ever-readies—they want no pressing, and it is not a practice of landlords to solicit for orders.
1902 D. McCullough Hist. Peoria County i. xxiv. 156/1 During the campaign counter organizations sprang up among the Democrats under the names of ‘Ever Readies’, ‘Little Giants’ and ‘Douglas Clubs’.
1914 L. W. Higgins Let. in D. McGrory Coventry & Great War (2016) 63 The regiment, the ‘Ever Readies’, have been standing at arms all night.
1944 G. S. Perry & I. Leighton Where away iv. 103 The girls they wear no teddies in Manila.., they're a bunch of ever-readies.
1961 Financial Times 1 Nov. 1/2 This new type of reserve force—the ‘Ever-Readies’.
1966 Guardian 19 Aug. 1/8 The searchers..included 190 ‘ever-readies’ of the Metropolitan Police's Special Group.
1991 A. Beevor Inside Brit. Army (rev. ed.) xxviii. 465 Even regular officers..would not dismiss the vital importance of specialist volunteers. The idea of the ‘Ever-readies’, a concept from the 1960s, is greatly favoured.
2004 A. Wilkinson Sovereign for a Song xvi. 211 He had..his hand..inside her split-leg drawers... ‘My Ginny in her ever-readies. My ever-ready little hinny.’
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1632