ready
/ˈrɛdi
/adjective (readier, readiest)
1 [predicative] In a suitable state for an action or situation; fully prepared: are you ready, Carrie? I got ready for bed [with infinitive]: she was about ready to leave...
- I learned that I needed to be ready, prepared and fully knowledgeable about the industry.
- There wasn't much other than to get ready for the dinner, but even then she would be getting ready too soon.
- It normally doesn't take me long to get ready for anything but tonight it felt like forever to get ready.
Synonyms
prepared, all set, set, organized, in a fit state, equipped, primed
informal fit, psyched up, geared up, up for it, hot to trot
1.1(Of a thing) made suitable and available for immediate use: dinner’s ready! could you have the list ready by this afternoon?...
- They have worked long and late after they have completed their day job to have the train ready.
- She passed me two bags of coca-cola, and took my money, leaving me standing, slightly confused, beside a train ready to depart.
- Most of the complex was actually ready and occupied for a while.
Synonyms
completed, finished, prepared, organized, done, arranged, fixed, in readiness;
ripe
informal done and dusted
1.2 (ready with) Keen or quick to give: every time I rang up, she was ready with some excuse...
- A charitable man he always took a keen interest in local affairs and was always ready with support for local events.
- In this section of the book we also have repeated evidence that Hewitt is all too often ready with a quick sneer.
- For a year I had always been ready with a slew of excuses why I couldn't attend.
1.3 (ready for) In need of or having a desire for: I expect you’re ready for a drink...
- This is one cat who is always ready for a cuddle from anyone willing to offer one.
- She is now fighting fit and ready for the challenges thrown up by her new parish.
- It will also be a test for the authority, which has now rolled up its sleeves ready for a fight.
2 [with infinitive] Willing or eager to do something: she is ready to die for her political convictions...
- The most important factor is the open and friendly staff who are always ready to serve and eager to please.
- The southern Sudanese are eager and ready to provide the balance of forces.
- Thus, the child can develop into a multi-faceted personality eager and ready to face the world.
Synonyms
willing, prepared, pleased, inclined, agreeable, disposed, predisposed, minded, of a mind, in the mood, apt, prone, given, likely;
eager, keen, happy, glad
informal game
2.1In such a condition as to be likely to do something: by the time he arrived he was ready to drop...
- If there is another agency which is lending money at better interest rates and with better conditions, I am ready to shift.
- It looked like you were ready to drop after a couple of hours there.
- I was ready to drop from lack of sleep, so we proceeded home.
Synonyms
about to, on the point of, on the verge of, on the brink of, close to, as if one is going to, in danger of, liable to, likely to
3Easily available or obtained; within reach: there was a ready supply of drink the murderer knew that the mallet would be ready to hand...
- Hence time becomes worldly, world-time, a time within which everything present at hand or ready to hand has its place.
- There are two kinds of alarm for sale and both need to be kept ready to hand (eg in a pocket) when and where personal security could be at risk.
- I had the need to learn commercial computing fast, and my back catalogue of poems gave me a ready to hand source of interesting data.
3.1 [attributive] Immediate, quick, or prompt: those who have ready access to the arts a girl with a ready smile...
- He was young, bright, fair, full of life, with an open smile and a ready, quick wit.
- With her doctorate in medieval history, and a quick and ready mind, Pam would be no slouch herself under questioning.
- He had a quick and ready wit and a mischievous sense of humour.
Synonyms
prompt, quick, rapid, swift, speedy, fast, immediate, unhesitating;
timely;
clever, sharp, astute, shrewd, keen, acute, perceptive, discerning, resourceful, smart, bright, alert, apt, adroit, deft, agile, skilful
archaic rathe
adverb [usually in combination]
Done in advance of being needed: ready-cooked meals...
- I bit my lip and, late this evening, I set the machine up to have another loaf ready baked a couple of hours after I wake tomorrow.
- The Oak Tree Foundation has more humanitarian aid ready packed in boxes for Romanian children and their families.
- Police had not just recovered drugs ready packaged to be sold, they had also found a huge quantity of stolen property, he said.
noun (plural readies) (readies or the ready) British informal
Available money; cash.They, somehow, made readies available to keep their friend in the style to which he had become accustomed....
- The sports minister will take possession of it shortly and will then go cap-in-hand to the new finance minister looking for the readies to fund the project.
- It's the recurring question constantly spouted out by dance students who have to cough up readies to fund dance courses.
verb (readies, readying, readied) [with object]
Prepare for an action or purpose: the spare transformer was readied for shipment [with object and infinitive]: she readied herself to speak first...
- Rick readied his weapon and prepared to jump out as soon as the barrage of bullets had stopped.
- They readied themselves to demand it, and they prepared to pay the price.
- Preparation of a descriptive memorandum is a major step in readying your business for market.
Phrases
at the ready
make ready
ready, steady, go (also ready, set, go)
Origin
Middle English: from Old English rǣde (from a Germanic base meaning 'arrange, prepare'; related to Dutch gereed) + -y1.