▪ I. ready, a., adv., and n.
(ˈrɛdɪ)
Forms: 3 rædi(ȝ); 3–5 redi, 3–6 redie, redy (7 Sc.), 4–5 redye, (6 redey, reedy; also Sc. 5–7 reddy, reddie, 6 rady, radie); 3, 6 readi, 6 readye, 6–7 readie, 6– ready.
[Early ME. rædi(ȝ), readi, redi, in southern texts also ȝeredi, ireadi, etc. (see i-redy), apparently formed on the analogy of other adjectives by the addition of -iȝ, -y, to OE. rǽde (?) or ᵹerǽde i-rede, from the Teut. stem *raiđ- to put in order, prepare: see i-rad and graith n. and a.
The form rædiȝ is peculiar to ME., but synonymous words from the same base are common in the cognate languages, as MDu. gereet, -reit (Du. gereed), MLG. gerêde, MHG. gereite, gereit; OFris. rêde, rêd (mod. ree), Du. reede, ree, MLG. rêde (hence Da. rede, Sw. reda, redo, Icel. reiðr), OHG. -reiti (MHG. reite); MDu. bereet, -reit (Du. bereid), MLG. berêde (hence Da. beredt, Sw. beredd), OHG. bireiti (G. bereit). Mod.Sw. redig unentangled, clear, etc., is an independent formation from reda to disentangle.]
A. adj. I. 1. a. In a state of preparation, so as to be capable of immediately performing (or becoming the object of) such action as is implied or expressed in the context.
| c 1205 Lay. 8651 Julius wes al rædi [c 1275 readi] alse he to wolde ræsen. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 259 [He] bad al schuld be boun..Redi to his somoun. 1382 Wyclif Matt. xxv. 10 Tho that weren redy, entriden in with hym to the weddyngis. 1450 in Wars Eng. in France (Rolls) I. 511 Make oure sugites of youre cuntre to be arayyd and redy in thaire best maniere. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 698 He wrote..commaundyng all men..to be redie in harnesse. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. Induct. i. 59 Some one be readie with a costly suite. 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 22 Such kinde of Images, as might be ready at his call. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 763 His Kine with swelling Udders ready stand. 1788 Burns Go, fetch to me ii, The glittering spears are rankèd ready. 1819 Shelley Cenci iv. iv. 169 As soon as you have taken some refreshment,..We shall be ready. |
b. spec. Properly dressed or attired; having finished one's toilet.
As a special sense app. limited to the 16–17th c., earlier and later instances being merely contextual applications of the general sense.
| c 1386 Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 379 Vp riseth fresshe Canacee hir selue..Noon hyer was he [the sun] whan she redy was. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §146 Whan thou arte vp and redy, than first swepe thy house. ? a 1642 Rowley Thrac. Wonder ii. i. [Stage Direction] Enter Pheander, ready. 1653 D. Osborne Lett. to Sir W. Temple (1888) 100, I rise in the morning reasonably early, and before I am ready I go round the house. 1709 Mrs. Manley Secret Mem. II. 234 Having permitted 'em time to get themselves ready, he enter'd the Chamber. 1856 Thompson Boston Gloss., To get Ready, to be dressed and prepared for a visit or journey. |
† c. Used in replying to a call or summons. Obs.
| 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. i. 165 Ready; and I,..and I, Where shall we go? 1596 ― Merch. V. iv. i. 2 Duke What, is Anthonio heere? Ant. Ready, so please your grace. |
d. Mil. and Naut. as a word of command.
In military use shortened from make ready (see 15), the order to prepare the piece for firing. For the nautical uses, see quots. 1846, 1867.
| 1802 James Milit. Dict. s.v. Manual, The officers, instead of giving the words platoon, make ready,..are to pronounce the words short, as for instance, 'toon, ready. 1841 R. H. Dana Seaman's Man. 150 The master finds that the ship will not lay her course, and tells the chief mate to ‘see all clear for stays’, or ‘ready about’. 1846 A. Young Naut. Dict. s.v. About, Ready About! an order to the crew that all hands be at their stations, ready for tacking. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Ready with the Lead, a caution when the vessel is luffed up to deaden her way, followed by ‘heave’. |
e. U.S. slang. Excellent, first-rate; mature, fully competent. Chiefly of music or musicians.
| c 1938 N. E. Williams His Hi De Highness of Ho De Ho 35/2 When an individual or a piece of music is high class or greatly admired, we indicate it by saying, ‘He's ready!’ or ‘That's ready!’ 1944 C. Calloway Hepsters Dict., Ready,..100 per cent in every way. Ex., ‘That fried chicken was ready.’ 1945 Tomorrow June 27/3 This time he was ready, so to speak, for it was on this second sojourn..that he began to impress his musical contemporaries. 1968 in R. Russell Jazz Style in Kansas City (1971) 183 When he came back, several months later, he was a new musician. He was ready. |
f. ready room, a room in an aircraft-carrier where pilots are briefed and await orders to fly. U.S. Mil.
| 1945 in Webster Add. 1953 P. C. Berg Dict. New Words 134/2 Ready room,..the room of an aircraft-carrier where pilots ready for flight assemble to receive their briefing. 1971 W. H. Cracknell in Profile Warship iii. 55/2 Below the flight deck..was the gallery deck. Here were a rudimentary combat intelligence centre, squadron ready rooms, and other air department offices. 1977 Time 2 May 1/1 Stamped indelibly inside my head is what used to be on Navy ready-room walls—‘Flying itself is not inherently dangerous, but like the sea, it is unmercifully unforgiving of human error.’ |
2. a. Const. with infinitive: Prepared, or having all preparations made, to do something.
| c 1200 Ormin 11758 Þær wass efft te laþe gast rædiȝ forr himm to fandenn. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 106/176 Aungles þare weren redie I-nowe hire soule to heuene lede. 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 454 Than turnyt thai..And stude reddy to giff battale. 1478 W. Paston in P. Lett. III. 238 And than I wol telle you when I schall be redy to come from Eton. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 306 The king..sayd, howe he was not as then ready to geue them a playne aunswere. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. iv. iv. 104 To bid the Priest be readie to come against you come. 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. iii. ii. §18 There are some more subtile particles of matter, which are ready to fill up those void spaces. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. i, My nephew was ready to sail. 1791 Cowper Retired Cat 20 Apparelled in exactest sort, And ready to be borne to court. 1860 Tyndall Glaciers i. xvi. 115 We stood beside each other ready to march. 1884 Church Bacon ix. 220 His incorrigible imaginativeness, ever ready to force itself in amid the driest details. |
b. Willing; feeling or exhibiting no reluctance.
| c 1200 Ormin 12936 Godd iss rædiȝ tunnderrfon Þatt follc þatt rihht himm follȝheþþ. a 1300 Cursor M. 26471 Iesus crist es redier to merci giue þan jugement. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iv. 155 ‘Icham Redi’, quod Reson ‘to Reste with þe euere’. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. x. 337 Redi in wil forto haue suffrid marterdom. 1550 Crowley Way to Wealth 512 How readi God is to take vengeaunce for the oppression of his people. 1648 Milton Ps. lxxxvi. 54 Thou Lord art the God most mild Readiest thy grace to shew. 1786 Cowper Gratitude 43 To me ever ready to show Benignity, friendship, and truth. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. i. I. 137 The loyal gentry declared that they were still as ready as ever to risk their lives for the old government. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 142 There is no one to whom I am more ready to trust. |
c. Inclined or disposed; apt.
| 1596 Spenser State Irel. Wks. (Globe) 609/1 They are ready allwayes to impute the blame therof unto the heavens. 1656 G. Collier Answ. 15 Quest. 20 They were readier to suspect themselves than Judas. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiii. III. 273 He was but too ready to consider all who recommended prudence and charity as traitors to the cause of truth. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 298 You are too ready to speak evil of men. |
d. Sufficiently angry or irritated to be on the point of (doing something violent). Cf. fit a. 5 b.
| 1535 Coverdale Exod. xvii. 4 What shal I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. vii. 12 Thay sune ar steirit up and radie to put hand in thair King. 1632 Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena iv. 123 Murmuring in so open a manner, against the person of the Prince, as made him..ready to goe besides himselfe. 1722 De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 28, I was ready to snatch the breeches out of her hands. |
e. Used attributively (cf. 5) in preceding senses with inf. after the n. Somewhat rare.
| c 1200 Ormin 13436 Swa þatt I muȝhe findenn ȝuw All rædiȝ follc to follȝhenn me. 1535 Coverdale 2 Cor. viii. 19 That like as there is a ready mynde to wil, there maye be a ready mynde also to perfourme the dede. 1607 Shakes. Timon i. ii. 49 The fellow that sits next him..is the readiest man to kill him. 1660 Wood Life (O.H.S.) I. 359 The most ready men to cring to and serve these times. 1706 E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 98 He's the readiest man living to make him sick with good Liquor. |
3. Const. with infinitive: a. That has passed, or has been brought, into such a condition as to be immediately likely or liable (to do something). Also ellipt. in attributive use (quot. 1818).
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints vii. (James less) 300 Rycht as þe ȝerde suld tremyl al, & mak all werkis reddy to fall. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxv. 5 All is bot tynt, or reddie for to tyne. 1526 Tindale Heb. viii. 13 Nowe that which is disanulled and wexed olde, is redy to vanysshe a waye. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, i. i. 229 Ready to sterue, and dare not touch his owne. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 50 Drawing him from one side of it to the other, till he was ready to give up the ghost. 1710 Prideaux Orig. Tithes iv. 172 Finding all things ready to run into confusion. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1868) III. 251 He has ordered her..only some little cordials to take when ready to faint. 1818 Keats Endym. iii. 1024 The hen-dove shall not hatch Her ready eggs, before I'll kissing snatch Thee into endless heaven. 1855 Tennyson Maud i. vi. iii, A delicate spark..Ready to burst in a colour'd flame. |
b. Hence (without reference to a previous process): Likely, liable; ‘fit’.
| 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 59 Quha sailis frome thir Iles is verie radie to incur sik danger. 1633 Earl of Manchester Al Mondo (1636) 183 Our last thoughts are readiest to spend themselves upon somewhat that wee loved best while we lived. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 295 The Sharp Winds are Serene Air..being ready to cut you through. 1817 Jas. Mill Brit. India II. v. viii. 635 At a moment..when every thing was ready to be reported, and every thing to be believed. |
4. Const. with prepositions: † a. With to or unto (rarely into): Prepared, inclined, or willing to do, give, take, suffer, etc. (what is indicated by the n.); also occasionally, prepared for (an act). Obs.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 191 Ȝif hie redie ben to golliche deden. a 1340 Hampole Psalter xvi. 13 Þai toke me as leoun redy til pray. 1382 Wyclif Ps. xxxvii. 18 For I in to scourgis am redi [1388 Y am redi to betyngis]. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 275 He is redi to the feith. Ibid. 282 The more I am redy to wraththe. 1471 Ripley Comp. Alch. vii. v. in Ashm. (1652) 170 Lyke Wax yt wylbe redy unto Lyquacyon. 1558 Goodman How to Obey 103 The Lorde, who is redie to mercie and slowe to anger. a 1591 H. Smith Wks. (1867) II. 313, I lament that the wisdom of the flesh should be readier to godly works than the wisdom of the spirit. |
b. Prepared for (an event, action, state, etc.).
| 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, ii. iv. 104 Thou shalt finde vs ready for thee still. 1603 ― Meas. for M. iii. i. 107 Be readie, Claudio, for your death to morrow. 1789 Blake Songs Innoc., Echoing Green iii, Many sisters and brothers..Are ready for rest. |
5. a. Having the quality of being prepared or willing to act when necessary; prompt, quick, expert, dexterous (in general, or in the special manner implied by the n.). ready hand, ready man (see quots. 1840, 1851).
| c 1320 Sir Tristr. 798 Rohand, þe riche kniȝt, Redy was he ay. 1535 Coverdale Ps. xliv. 1 My tonge is y⊇ penne of a ready writer. 1552 Elyot Classiarius,..a diligent persone, a ready felow. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 977 With these..was Amurath, upon a light and readie horse. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1650) II. 11 So I am Your most affectionate ready Servant, J. H. 1704 Pope Windsor For. 99 Before his lord the ready spaniel bounds. 1725 ― Odyss. iii. 608 Bread and wine a ready handmaid brings. 1818 Shelley Rev. Islam xii. iv, A thousand torches..Borne by the ready slaves of ruthless law. 1840 J. Devlin Shoemaker i. 43 The quickest, or, as they are called in the trade, the readiest hands. 1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour (1861) II. 333 He knew that he was a ready man (a quick workman). |
b. Const. at, in, † of.
| c 1375 Cursor M. 8404 (Fairf.) [Þ]of salamon þi sone be ȝonge, he [is] ful wise and redy of tonge. 1484 Caxton Fables of Alfonce xii, And by cause that the yonge woman was redy in speche and malycious, she ansuerd forth with. 1508 Kennedie Flyting w. Dunbar 467 As thou was louse, and reddy of thy bune. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iii. iv. 161 Ready in gybes, quicke-answered, sawcie. 1686 tr. Chardin's Coronat. Solyman 109 These Eunuchs are very ready at these kind of dark Contrivances. 1777 Sheridan Sch. Scand. i. i, 'Twould surprise you to hear how ready he is at all these sort of things. 1833 H. Martineau Loom & Lugger i. v. 67 Likely to be excellent Christians as they were very ready at the Bible. 1855 Tennyson Maud i. v. i, Men..in battle array, Ready in heart and ready in hand. |
6. a. Of the mind or mental powers: Quick to devise, plan, comprehend, observe, etc.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 17432 (Gött.) Nu es vs nede of redi thoght. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 162 To every craft..He hadde a redi wit to helpe Thurgh naturel experience. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iv. xxxiv. 82 Suche as were of moost redy wyt couthe taken hede of alle. 1607 Shakes. Cor. ii. ii. 120 By and by the dinne of Warre gan pierce His readie sence. 1762 Goldsm. Cit. W. lxii, Nature had furnished her not only with a ready but a solid turn of thought. 1830 D'Israeli Chas. I, III. v. 72 The intellect of Laud was..earnest, ready, and practical above most minds. |
b. Of persons, etc.: Prompt or quick in speech, discourse, or writing.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 8404 He es wis and o redi tung. Ibid. 27566 Pride rises..for steuen suet, for rede tung. 1461 Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 2 Ye may nott faile to send hider all your bookes and some readie man for to answer unto him. 1531 Elyot Gov. iii. xxi, A man..shall,..with a littell refection,..haue his inuencyon quicker..his tonge redyar. 1597 Bacon Ess., Studies (Arb.) 10 Reading maketh a full man, conference a readye man. 1883 Ld. R. Gower My Reminisc. I. vi. 101 He had a..kind heart and a ready pen. |
c. Proceeding from, delivered with, promptness of thought or expression.
| 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. i. (1877) 107 Til neuer a one can speak a redy woord. 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 31 The ready suggestions of our own naturall wit. 1816 Scott Antiq. i, Returning a ready answer. 1857 Willmott Pleas. Lit. xxi. 124 A ready jest opens more intricacies of the true character than a siege or a battle. |
d. U.S. Blacks. (See quots.)
| 1967 J. Horton in Trans-Action Apr. 5/2 One either knows ‘what's happening’ on the street, or he is a ‘lame’, ‘out of it’, ‘not ready’ (lacks his diploma in street knowledge), a ‘square’. 1970 C. Major Dict. Afro-Amer. Slang 96 Ready, hip; receptive. 1973 T. Kochman Rappin' & Stylin' Out 163 Another term such as ‘ready’ is descriptive of the person who ‘has his diploma in street knowledge’, which means knowing what's happening, taking advantage of opportunities, avoiding pitfalls, and being prepared to move where the action is. |
7. a. Of action or capacity for action: Distinguished or characterized by promptness or quickness.
| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 322 Leonin it herde telle,..And bad him gon a redy pas To fetten hire, and forth he wente. 1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 13 For the redier conceiving..behold the figure insuing. 1601 Cornwallis Ess. ii. xxx, Being soone off and soone on, of a readie, though not of a wise dispatche. 1754 Sherlock Disc. (1759) I. x. 292 Yeilding a ready, tho' unwilling Obedience. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 497 Gave him credit for..much readier elocution than he really possessed. |
b. Characterized by alacrity or willingness in some respect. (In some cases passing into next.)
| 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion Collect, Defended by thy moste gracious and readye helpe. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 155 Beneuolence and ready minde toward their keepers and norishers. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth iii. i. (1723) 156 It finds the readyest Reception. 1742 Young Nt. Th. i. 2 He, like the world, his ready visit pays Where fortune smiles. 1789 F. Burney Diary Nov., I gave her my ready promise. 1813 Byron Br. Abydos ii. xx, Open speech, and ready hand. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xvii, Never was more anxious and ready way made for my Lord of Leicester. 1884 Law Times LXXVI. 331/2 This is one of those abstract principles which in the present day are pretty sure to find ready acceptance. |
c. Taking place quickly or easily.
| 1730 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. III. 391 That when at Market they may find a readier sale. 1877 E. R. Conder Bas. Faith v. 223 The..ready solubility [of sugar] in water. |
II. 8. a. In the condition of having been prepared or put in order for some purpose. Const. for, † to, or with inf. (in some cases with suggestion of sense 2).
| c 1200 Ormin 6235 Heore leȝhe [= pay] birrþ hemm beon Rædiȝ, þann itt iss addledd. a 1300 Cursor M. 5270 Þair mete to þam i rede [v.r. redi] broght. 1382 Wyclif Matt. xxii. 4 My boles..ben slayn, and alle thingis redy. Ibid. 8 The weddyngis ben redy. c 1450 Merlin 362 A cheyer, that euer more sholde be redy for the knyght in to sitte. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. lxxvii, Sir leaue your musyng and come into ye hall..yo{supr} dyner is all redy. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iv. i. 56 This your companion..hath a storie readie for your eare. 1648 Gage West Ind. 17 Our two Cock-Boates were ready to carry to shore such as..had clothes to wash. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 132 ¶1 His Horses were ready at the appointed Hour. 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. iv. §15 A servant came to tell us the tea was ready. 1816 J. Wilson City of Plague ii. v. 72 Here is a grave Just ready for thy body, Walsingham! 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 106 All awaits us ranged and ready. |
b. Added to past participles (cf. 16).
| 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 96 The cruell men sall..haif thair bow bent reddy in thair hand. 1608 Shakes. Per. iii. i. 72 We have a chest beneath the hatches, caulked and bitumined ready. |
c. In attributive use (passing into 5).
| 1559 Mirr. Mag. Hen. VI, xix, Our kingdomes are but cares,..Our riches redy snares. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 147 They..when past the marke, with an other ready Arrow, can strike the rest looking backwards. 1725 Pope Odyss. ii. 455 Along the strand The ready vessel rides. 1764 Goldsm. Trav. 16 Bless'd that abode, where..ev'ry stranger finds a ready chair. 1820 Keats St. Agnes xl, There were sleeping dragons..perhaps, with ready spears. |
9. So placed or constituted as to be immediately available when required or wished for; close at hand; handy, convenient for use. † a. In predicative use. Obs.
| a 1240 Wohunge in Cott. Hom. 277, I þi childhad hafdes tu..þi moder readi hwen þu pappe ȝerndes. a 1375 Joseph Arim. 42 Whon þe lust speke with me, lift þe lide sone; Þou schalt fynde me redi riȝt bi þi side. 1382 Wyclif John vii. 6 My time cam not ȝit, but ȝoure tyme is euermore redy. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. x. 336 Persecucioun of tirantis was redier in tho daies. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. ccii. 621 Bycause the langage of yrisshe is as redy to me as the Englysshe tong. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 11 b, I place fyrst by them selues, suche as are most in vse, that they may be the redier. 1656 H. Phillips Purch. Patt. (1676) 155 The use of this Table is plain and ready. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth i. (1723) 8 The next Cole-pit, or Mine..these are so ready and obvious in almost all Places. |
b. Similarly in phrases ready to (one's) hand(s), ready at hand. (See hand n. 2 and 25.)
| c 1386 Chaucer Friar's T. 21 He had a Somonour redy to his hond. 1530 Palsgr. 822/2 Redy at hande, auant la mayn. 1663 Gerbier Counsel f 3 The Grecians the readiest at hand had their choise. 1727–41 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Table, Systems of numbers, calculated to be ready at hand for the expediting astronomical..and other observations. 1891 Law Times XC. 315/2 The chief guide which both courts found ready to their hands. |
c. In attributive use.
In 16th c. app. only in Sc. use, especially of money, lands, goods, etc.
| a 1425 Cursor M. 10890 (Trin.) Þat goddes son calde shal bene I shewe þe redy token to sene. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. III. 48 At Ptolome ane reddie port tha fand. 1545 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 14 The reddiest money that may be gottin for the casualite. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj., Forme of Proces 125 To..poynd, and distreinzie the reddiest cornes. 1659 Hammond On Ps. xcix. 8 This appears to be the full and ready importance of this passage. 1671 Milton P.R. iii. 128 The slightest, easiest, readiest recompence. 1796 H. Hunter tr. St. Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) II. 432 Finding there readier means of subsistence, than in the other cities of the kingdom. 1816 Scott Antiq. ix, Rab..banged out o' bed, and till some of his readiest claes. 1874 Green Short Hist. ii. §5. 83 William found a more ready source of revenue in the settlement of Jewish traders. |
10. a. Immediately available as currency; having the form of coin or money.
App. first in ready pennies or ready pence: cf. Da. rede penge, Sw. reda (MSw. also redo) penningar, ON. reiðupeningar.
ready coin and ready gold are frequent in 16–17th c. See also ready rhino s.v. rhino1, and ready money.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 4835 [We have brought] Al redi penijs for to tell [Gött. MS. Redi penis we haue to tell]. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6324 Ten mark of pens redy, And ten mark hys ouþer store. 1472 Paston Lett. III. 70 If ȝe shuld selle alle this wode togedyr for redy Sylver. 1550 Crowley Epigr. 1450 Thys lande he made sale, and toke readye golde. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 42 Roger..left behinde him in readie coyne..fourtie thousand Markes. 1639 N. N. tr. Du Bosq's Compl. Woman ii. 14 Procris..surrendred the place, as soon as she saw the ready chink. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 450 ¶4 What advantage might be made of the ready Cash I had. 1747 Gentl. Mag. 580/1 To turn their wrought bullion into ready sterling. 1826 Scott Woodst. ii, He had never known the ready-penny so hard to come by. 1885 [see cash n.1 2 b]. |
| transf. a 1721 Prior Chameleon 5 The chameleon..struts as much in ready Light Which Credit gives him upon Sight [etc.]. |
† b. ready stock: Surplus, amount on hand.
| 1661 Cowley Oliver Cromwell Wks. 1710 II. 660 He found the Common-wealth..in a ready Stock of about 800,000l. |
11. a. Of a way, path, etc.: Lying directly before one; straight, direct, near. ? Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 6252 Þou sal see it cleue in tua, And giue yow redi wai to ga. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 555 Thai ga Toward mytoune the reddy vay. c 1470 Golagros & Gaw. 310 The roy and his rout..To Rome tuke the reddy way. 1563 Mirr. Mag., Hastings xxii, The stearesman sekes a redier course to ronne. 1634 Milton Comus 305 What readiest way would bring me to that place? 1667 ― P.L. ii. 976, I seek What readiest path leads where your gloomie bounds Confine with Heav'n. 1759 Johnson Rasselas xxxix, To the favour of the covetous there is a ready way. |
b. Hence with way in the sense of ‘method’, ‘means’, etc.; and so ready means.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 58 b, The rediest way to overthrow theyr authoritie. 1591 Spenser M. Hubberd 127 Euerie thing that is begun with reason Will come by readie meanes unto his end. 1639 Fuller Holy War v. vi. (1840) 251 Teaching covetousness..a ready way to assault them. 1750 tr. Leonardus' Mirr. Stones 97 This is the readiest way of knowing it. 1883 Law Times 20 Oct. 409/2 If invention be required, the readiest way to secure it is to give proper remuneration to the inventor. |
12. Of payment or pay: Made or given promptly; not delayed or deferred. ? Obs.
| c 1375 Cursor M. 4835 (Fairf.) A party of siluer [we have] wiþ vs broȝt, redy payment for to telle. 1442 Rolls of Parlt. V. 63 Redy paiement in hand he hadde. 1545 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 15 To poynd and dystrenye for the said rest and mak reddy payment thairof. 1621 T. Williamson tr. Goulart's Wise Vieillard 84 His promise should passe for ready pay, and for money told on the nayle. 1697 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) IV. 267 The earl of Oxford's regiments and the foot guards haveing now ready pay, notice is given to their quarters not to trust them. |
III. In phr. to make ready.
13. a. refl. To put (oneself) into a state of preparation; to prepare (oneself).
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 97 At Burgh in Schrobschire to werre [he] mad him redy. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 65 We shulden maken us redy to suffre. c 1470 Henry Wallace iv. 425 He thaim commaunde to mak thaim redy fast. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 126 b, The garrison made them ready and bent their ordinaunce. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. i. 27 Make your selfe readie in your Cabine for the mischance of the houre. 1615 W. Lawson Country Housew. Gard. (1626) 8 Trees cannot..make themselues ready to blossome [etc.]. 1859 Tennyson Elaine 775 While she made her ready for her ride. |
† b. spec. To array, attire or dress (oneself). Obs.
| 1511 Sir R. Guylforde Pilgr. (Camden) 24 Whiche [chapell] the freres kepe, and there they made theym redy in ornaments, and began there a very solempne procession. 1603 Dekker, etc. Patient Grissil 164 Little girls that yesterday had scarce a hand to make them ready. a 1661 Fuller Worthies (1840) III. 181 Neatness he neglected into slovenliness; and..may be said not to have made himself ready for some seven years. [1722 Mrs. Bradshaw in Lett. C'tess Suffolk (1824) I. 91 We repair to our own chambers and make ourselves ready; for it cannot be called dressing.] |
14. trans. To prepare or put in order (a thing or things); † to dress (a person).
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints Prol. 95 Syne..lefit I nocht, til I had mad þaim redy. 1426 Lydg. De Guil Pilgr. 22918, I wente afforne..And made redy his passage. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxvi. 226 Theyr beddes were made redy. 1596 Danett tr. Comines (1614) 157 Many a time haue I seene him made ready and vnready with great reuerence and solemnity. 1640 in Ussher's Lett. (1686) App. 27 There be great Preparations making ready against the Liturgy and Ceremonies of the Church of England. 1808 C. Stower Printers' Gram. 345 Making ready a Form. 1842 Tennyson Gardener's Dau. 268 Make thine heart ready with thine eyes. 1853 G. J. Cayley Las Alforjas I. 184 While our chocolate was being made ready. |
15. a. absol. To make preparations. Const. for († to), or with inf.; † formerly also common without const.
| 13.. Seuyn Sag. (W.) 3876 Thai spred clathes and salt on set, And made redy vnto the mete. 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 718 Thai turst harnas and maid reddy. 1382 Wyclif Mark xiv. 15 There make ȝe redy to vs. 1473 J. Warkworth Chron. (Camden) 2 Wyth the whiche menne made redy, and beseged the same castelle[s]. 1526 Tindale Mark xiv. 15 There make reddy for vs. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. i. 172 To morrow you must die, goe to your knees, and make ready. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. i. ii. 20 Make ready to board him. 1689 [see rear n.3 7 a]. 1869 W. Longman Hist. Edw. III, I. xvii. 319 His companions made ready to fight. 1890 T. F. Tout Hist. Eng. from 1689, 29 Bolingbroke..made ready for a revolution. |
b. techn. in Printing (see quots.).
| 1871 Ringwalt Encycl. Amer. Print., Making Ready—the act of getting a form ready to be printed;..Making ready may be said to form the chief portion of the pressman's duty. 1874 Southward Pract. Print. xlv. (ed. 4) 413 Begin to ‘make ready’—that is, get the impression equal and level over the whole forme. |
IV. Comb.
16. Placed before past participles to emphasize the completion of the process expressed by these (cf. 8 b): a. In predicative use. (Now frequently hyphened as in b.)
Additional examples are ready beaten (1617), braced, (1596), coined (1603), graithed (1513), grown (1812), mounted (1596), prepared (1535), shapen (1571), starched (1602); see also ready made. With the early ready boun, which is frequent in the 15–16th c., compare ON. reiðub{uacu}inn, MSw. redhoboin etc. (Sw. redebogen, Da. redebon), which may conceivably have given the suggestion for the Eng. expression.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11595 Son was ioseph redi bun. Ibid. 12864 Quen he sagh iesu redi tift. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 294 For evere his bowe is redi bent. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxv, Mi rauunsun is alle redy boȝte. a 1425 Cursor M. 7452 (Trin.) Greet he was &..Al redy armed for to fiȝt. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 578 Be the gyant wase redy dyght, Torrent had slayne the dragon ryght. 1448–9 in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) II. 10 The seides howses shull accord with the other syde the wich is now redy framed next the Freres. 1535 Coverdale Josh. iv. 13 Aboute a fortye thousande men ready harnessed to the warre. 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 235 Thairfoir leif weill, be reddy bowne. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 2 The Duke..seeyng all the countrey ready set to hedge him in. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage v. xvii. (1614) 542 Duckes, sometimes raw, and sometimes ready dressed. 1697 Vanbrugh Prov. Wife iii. i, If woman had been ready created, the devil..had been married. 1727 Pope, etc. Art of Sinking 121 Old Troy is ready burnt to your hands. 1767 J. Woodforde Diary 24 July (1924) I. 64 My father sent me down a couple of fowls ready roasted. 1775 P. Freneau Poems (1902) I. 169 How could the wretches help but marching on, When at their backs your swords were ready drawn? 1796 J. Woodforde Diary 15 Oct. (1929) IV. 314 They have let their House ready furnished to a Revd. Mr. Beevor. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas x. xii. ¶29, I was the man of all others ready cut and dry for an intrigue. 1836 J. M. Gully Magendie's Formul. (ed. 2) 161 His doctrine, that all the varied secretions of the body are ready formed in the blood. 1842 Dickens Amer. Notes (1850) 57/1 Clothes ready-made, and meat ready-cooked. 1868 E. Acton's Mod. Cookery (rev. ed.) xxx. 590 Never purchase it [sc. coffee] ready ground unless compelled to do so. 1930 H. Nicolson Let. 2 Jan. (1966) 40, I suppose that I shall get into the way of finding these paragraphs leaping ready-armed to the mind. 1952 J. B. Oldham Eng. Blind-Stamped Bindings 3 Sale of books ready-bound. 1960 Farmer & Stockbreeder 23 Feb. 123/3 Sold, ready-cooked in foil containers, the pies are in two sizes. 1976 Glasgow Herald 26 Nov. 16/3 Food can be bought ready prepared if not for the table at least for the oven or the saucepan. |
b. In attributive use. ready-built, ready-carved, ready-cooked, ready-folded, ready-furnished, ready-ground, ready-prepared, ready-roasted, ready-sensitized, ready-shelled, ready-sliced, ready-traced, ready-trained, ready-written. (See also ready-made, ready-mixed a.)
| 1827 Southey Hist. Penins. War II. 290 note, The Americans carried over ready-built houses for sale. |
| 1803 M. Wilmot Let. 31 May in Londonderry & Hyde Russian Jrnls. (1934) i. 13 Then ready carved bouillé, ready carved fricasées etc. 1974 L. Deighton Spy Story xi. 112 She put some ready-cooked pizzas into the oven. |
| 1964 McCall's Sewing xiii. 234/2 Ready-folded braid, these braids are of a woven bias construction. |
| 1766 Smollett Trav. I. xii. 214 You will find no ready-furnished lodgings at Nice. |
| 1960 Farmer & Stockbreeder 15 Mar. (Suppl.) 11/2 Put the almonds through a nut mill (neither minced nor ready-ground almonds will do.) |
| 1802–12 Bentham Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827) II. 193 Ready-prepared and scientifically-planted ground. |
| 1875 T. Seaton Fret Cutting vii. 71 The high price he has had to pay..for ready-prepared wood. 1959 Times 9 Mar. (Suppl.) p. vii/7 Ready-prepared vegetables and other fresh produce are now being offered in the supermarkets. |
| 1754 Richardson Grandison IV. xviii. 144 He makes her..become herself the cat's paw to help him to the ready-roasted chestnuts. |
| 1892 Woodbury Encycl. Photogr., Ready-sensitised paper..in sheets or in cut sizes. |
| 1909 Daily Chron. 14 Dec. 6/3 Pound boxes of ready-shelled walnuts at 1s. 3d. 1958 Times Lit. Suppl. 23 May 281/2 Bud Floyd and his wife Debbie tortured in their antiseptic, ready-shelled, air-conditioned inferno. 1960 Times 11 Feb. 3/5 Every day on television one can see the new styles ingeniously used to advertise instant coffee and ready-sliced bread. 1977 J. Wainwright Day of Peppercorn Kill 17 Ready-sliced bread—because if she ever handled a bread-knife she'd cut her damn-fool fingers off. |
| 1967 E. Short Embroidery & Fabric Collage iv. 94 As the firm also sold ready traced materials and supplied the threads for working them, Morris's influence was widespread. |
| 1946 Nature 5 Oct. 491/1 Sir Reginald pointed out first that in research on the problems of an old traditional industry there are usually no ready-trained scientific workers. |
| 1802–12 Bentham Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827) II. 62 A mass of ready-written evidence. 1977 Belfast Tel. 22 Feb. 4/1 (Advt.), With the full library of ready-written, ready-to-use application packages available in the U.K., the System Ten 220 Series can be quickly harnessed to your work. |
† c. Used with come, coming. (Cf. B 2.) Obs.
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cxxv. 150 At saynt Denyse were redy come the kynge of Behayne..and many other lordes. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 104 b, For redy comming is y⊇ lord talbot.., with a puissaunt army. |
d. Const. with infin. or with for and following noun, and used as attrib. phrases expressing preparedness for the action indicated, as ready-to-eat, ready-use, etc. (See also ready-to-wear a. (and n.).)
| 1887 G. M. Hopkins Let. 12 May (1956) 379 Publishers ‘tapped a stratum’..of almost untouched reading or ready-to-read public. 1897 Sears, Roebuck Catal. 294/3 (heading) Ready-to-use table cloths. 1907 N.Y. Times 14 Sept. 4 Through this store's efforts a new attitude toward ready-for-service clothing has been adopted by hundreds of men. 1909 H. N. Casson C. H. McCormick 237 Certain ready-to-eat foods are now being made from wheat. c 1938 Fortnum & Mason Price List 72/1 ‘Ready to serve’ dishes. 1959 Times 9 Mar. (Suppl.) p. vi/3 Preparing cartons of frozen ready-to-cook chickens. 1972 Listener 7 Sept. 292/3 A range of ready-to-serve fish dishes with shrimp and lobster sauces. 1976 N. Roberts Face of France v. 66 A civilisation of leisure will be raring for ready-to-eat pork products. a 1977 Harrison Mayer Ltd. Catal. 98/2, 1 of 0·28 litre pack of the following liquid, ready-to-use glazes. |
e. With ns. used attrib. in sense 7, as ready-reference, ready-use.
| 1928 G. Campbell My Mystery Ships xiv. 250 A lucky shot from her might ‘touch off’ any of the ready-use ammunition which was at the guns. 1955 ‘N. Shute’ Requiem for Wren iii. 69, I give her a coconut out of the ready-use locker. 1963 Amer. N. & Q. Jan. 77/1 The book..can be used as a ready reference tool to answer questions about nearly all basic biological research in modern times. 1971 Engineering Apr. 122/2 Here's the tough, expanding, ready-reference file. |
17. a. In parasynthetic combs., as ready-handed, ready-hearted, ready-penned, ready-winged; also ready-smiling; ready-witted.
| 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. i. vii. Wks. (1847) 40/2 Two quick-sighted and ready handed virgins. 1771 T. Hull Sir W. Harrington (1797) IV. 77 You have no ready penn'd sister. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. lxiii, Ready-winged speech. 1881 Blackie Lay Serm. i. 37 Ready-handed interpretations of judgments. 1937 A. L. Rowse Sir Richard Grenville ii. 31 So ready-hearted, so busy and generous about life's affairs. 1940 Blunden Poems 1930–40 252 Bright-tressed, ready-smiling, April-eyed. |
† b. Objective, as ready-making. Obs.
| 1611 Cotgr., Appareillement, a preparing, prouiding, readie-making. |
B. adv.
1. = readily. (In later use chiefly, and now only, in compar. and superl.)
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 998 And al ðat euere ðe louered bad, dede abraham redi and rad. a 1300 Cursor M. 19638 Sai me..quat i sal do, Þi will wil I do redi, lo! c 1485 Digby Myst. iii. 136 Your arend it xall be don ful redy. 1557 Order of the Hospitalls F iiij, To thintent that all things in your Office may be the rediar answered. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. x. 319 He vnderstude al taknes perteineng to the flycht rady anuich. 1641 Earl of Monmouth tr. Biondi's Civil Warres iii. 158 Giving him downe a ladder at the walles foote, that hee might the readier climb up. 1712 Blackmore Creation vi. 56 The Earth-born Race Could move, and walk, and ready change their Place. 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) II. 279 Thou..canst seek, and readiest find, comforts in the distresses and uses in the evils thou beholdest. 1799 Southey Eng. Ecl. Poet. Wks. III. 20 There was not..A child who..answered readier through his Catechism. |
† 2. = already. Obs. rare—1.
| 1450 Rolls of Parlt. V. 204/2 Bi the opressing of the peple..he hath gretli enpovred and hurt the poure Ilond redy. |
C. n.
1. Also reddy. slang or colloq. Ready money, cash (usually with the); in pl., bank notes.
| 1688 Shadwell Sqr. Alsatia i. i, Take up on the reversion; 'tis a lusty one, and Cheatly will help you to the ready. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull i. iii, He was not flush in ready, either to go to law, or clear old debts. 1784 R. Bage Barham Downs II. 136 Cherish your lovely spouse till you have got all her ready. 1822 Scott Nigel xxiii, An estate in the north, which changes masters for want of the redeeming ready. 1872 Besant & Rice Ready-money Mort. iii, ‘Some of the {oqq}ready{cqq},’ he said..‘Gold, father—gold!’ 1937 Partridge Dict. Slang 690/2 Readies, money in bank..notes. 1962 R. Cook Crust on its Uppers i. 24 Not enough reddy in it in my case. Ibid. iii. 39 ‘Loot!’..‘In reddy?’ Ibid. viii. 65 Reddies which should be sailing into her African kick. 1968 [see green n. 7 d]. 1974 D. Francis Knock Down xiv. 157 He sort of winks at me and gives me a thousand quid in readies. 1977 Private Eye 4 Mar. 9/1 Send {pstlg}50 to the address below, preferably in readies. |
2. a. (Usually with the.) The position of a fire-arm when the person holding or carrying it is ready to raise it to the shoulder and aim or fire. Now usu. in phr. at (the) ready. Also transf.
| 1837 J. E. Murray Summer in Pyrenees I. 55, I..found the guard with his musket at the ‘ready’. 1875 Ruggles Perils of Scout-Life 75 They brought their pieces to a ready, as if preparing to fire. 1897 Outing (U.S.) XXIX. 427/2, I approach, my gun thrown forward at ready. 1931 A. Curtayne St. Anthony of Padua viii. 78 Galloping full tilt with vizor down and lance couched at the ready. 1955 Times 22 July 10/5 Others were more cautious, with fur capes or dark coats over their frocks and umbrellas at the ready. 1978 J. Carroll Mortal Friends i. iii. 30 The troops in the lorries were standing, rifles at ready. |
b. U.S. colloq. The condition of being prepared to start (something). Freq. in phr. to get a good ready and varr., to assume a favourable stance or position for this. Also transf. Now rare.
| [1855 ‘Q. K. P. Doesticks’ Doesticks; what he Says xviii. 153 The music got ‘good ready’ for a fair start, and at the word ‘go’ they went.] 1872 ‘Mark Twain’ in Buyers' Man. & Business Guide 76, I could have ketched them cats if I had had on a good ready. 1878 B. F. Taylor Between Gates 71 A time hardly long enough for a century plant to get a good ready for blossoming. 1897 A. H. Lewis Wolfville i. 2 So we begins to draw in our belts an' get a big ready. |
3. Rope-making. A strand in a rope or cable.
| 1857 R. Chapman Treat. Ropemaking 84 The only method to be obtained is to give one turn or twist to the strand or readie, while the machine draws it a certain length. 1883 Man. Seamanship for Boys' Training Ships (Admiralty) (1886) 125 You now commence to form the long-splice, by unlaying one strand, and filling up the space it leaves with the opposite strand next to it..these strands being composed of three small strands, which are called readies. 1957 Encycl. Brit. XIX. 546/1 As the strand is twisted it is wound on a large reel and appears as a smooth, round strand composed of a number of individual yarns. This is known as the ‘ready’. |
4. ready-up, a conspiracy or swindle; a case of fraudulent manipulation; a fake. Cf. ready v. 4 b. Austral. slang.
| 1924 Truth (Sydney) 27 Apr. 6 Ready up, a fake. 1926 J. Doone Timely Tips for New Australians 7 Ready-up, a conspiracy. 1945 Baker Austral. Lang. xv. 267 Ready-up, a case in which illegal methods are used to influence the outcome of a decision or an action. 1961 H. R. F. Keating Rush on Ultimate v. 85, I don't accept all the pretences and ready-ups you people put out. |
Add: [A.] [I.] [1.] [d.] (b) As part of an instruction to competitors at the start of a race, esp. in phr. ready, steady, go!
| 1960 G. W. Target Teachers 8 ‘Come on, I'll race you.’.. ‘Come on an' try.’ ‘Right—ready, steady, go!’ 1972 M. Kenyon Shooting of Dan McGrew xiii. 104 ‘Let's run for it,’ Henry said. ‘Ready, steady, go,’ Kate said. 1978 ‘F. Parrish’ Sting of Honeybee i. 5 ‘Readeeeee—steadeeeee—go!’ called Dan Mallett. Two of the children kicked their ponies into a canter. 1985 C. Marsh (title) Ready, steady, go! Running to win in the Christian life. |
▸ ready meal n. chiefly Brit. a foodstuff or dish (esp. a main course) sold ready to eat or requiring only brief preparation; (now) spec. a complete meal which requires only brief heating in a microwave or conventional oven; cf. TV dinner n. at TV n. b.
| 1952 Jrnl. Royal Statist. Soc. (A.) 115 484 (table) Meat puddings... Meat roll, etc... *Ready meals (stewed steak, M. and V., etc.). 1972A. G. Ward in G. G. Birch et al. Health & Food ix. 105 Intensive catering systems, involving central preparation of ready meals for local service, is likely to prove increasingly attractive financially. 1997 M. Ravenhill Shopping & Fucking (rev. ed.) ii. 18 Enter Lulu with two microwaved ready meals on a tray. |
▪ II. ready, v.
(ˈrɛdɪ)
Forms: 4–5 redy(e, 4–6 redi-, 6 Sc. reddy, 7– ready.
[f. ready a. Somewhat rare between the 15th and 19th c.]
1. a. refl. To make (oneself) ready in any way.
| a 1350 St. Laurence 51 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 113 Þarfore, lady, redy þe For here saltou noght ful lang be. c 1425 Eng. Conq. Irel. 26 He assembled hys hostes & redied hym to wend thedere. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 782 In Ryall array he reddyit him to ryde. 1864 Mrs. Lloyd Ladies of Polcarrow 41 They readied and steadied themselves as best they might. 1892 Brooke Early Eng. Lit. II. xvii. 105 One of his thegns sprang up and readied him for the journey. |
b. intr. or absol. To make oneself ready or prepare in any way. U.S.
| 1967 Wall St. Jrnl. 12 Dec. 1 Machinists Union President Roy Siemiller, readying for aerospace bargaining, and Steelworkers chief I. W. Abel feel they must match the big rubber and auto settlements. 1972 Time 17 Apr. 22 (caption) In a cloud of catapult steam, a U.S. jet readies to attack Viet Nam. |
† 2. trans. and refl. a. To direct (one's way, oneself, or another); to guide. Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 315 To Scotlond now he fondes, to redy his viage. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xvii. 185 No man cowde redye him perfitely toward the parties that he cam fro, but ȝif it were be aventure and happ. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxiv. 91 Eche good Cristen man..owith to redy him toward the wey of heuen by praiers, fastyng [etc.]. |
† b. To instruct in (a matter). Obs.—1
| 1600 Holland Livy xxxiv. lxi. 886 He redied him in the names of all those persons with whom he was to talke. |
3. trans. a. To make (a thing) ready; to prepare; put in order. Also const. up. Now chiefly N. Amer.
Perh. influenced in early use by redd v.2 6, to put in order, make neat.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter vii. 13 His bow he has bent and redid it. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 181 If þou doist away synne þou rediest Goddis weye. c 1400 Destr. Troy 5648 All the renkes to row redyn hor shippes. 1609 J. Dowland Ornithop. Microl. 23 This readied, set-to one string of wyre, strong, big, and stretched inough. 1633 T. Adams Exp. 2 Pet. ii. 5 When a great portion is readied for them, divers parents think they have done enough. a 1849 J. Keegan Legends & Poems (1907) 111 Hould your gob..and go ready the room for the dacint boys to sit down. 1864 Harper's Mag. Apr. 616/1 The pot ought to be a-bilin' for dinner, and the Kitchen to be readied up. 1867 Waugh Owd Blanket iii. 53 Come in, an' sit tho deawn while eawr lasses getten yon kitchen readied (made right) a bit. 1900 H. Lawson On Track 73 Anyway, she'll have one readied up somehow. 1926 Amer. Mercury Dec. 464/2 The report that a certain man ‘authored the show, which will be readied next Fall, when it will be hoked up (from hokum)’. 1934 Bulletin (Sydney) 25 July 38/1 This has invited the All-Blacks to call in on their way back from their tour of Britain next year and get what is being readied up for them. 1937 V. McNabb God's Way of Mercy xxi. 185 You have come apart from the world to ready your soul for the doings of that great week. 1958 Observer 2 Mar. 6/6 It can be readied in 15—in less if we have some warning—not in two hours. 1959 R. E. Watters Check List Canad. Lit. p. xiii, To the Editor, Miss Francess G. Halpenny, who readied the manuscript for the printers,..I am heavily indebted. 1968 ‘E. Lathen’ Stitch in Time xvi. 141 The tax people were readying an attack on Martin. 1969 Sun 22 July 3/8 American scientists are readying the first space station for lift-off into earth orbit in 1971. 1971 J. Z. Young Introd. Study Man ii. 28 These ions are pumped back, readying the system for further signalling. 1978 J. A. Michener Chesapeake 303 She asked her slaves to ready the small shallop. 1979 Arizona Daily Star 5 Aug. a 10/2 An army of scientists and engineers readied a 2-mile floating defense line yesterday. |
b. Sc. and dial. To make (food) ready for eating; to dress or cook.
| 1721 Wodrow Hist. Suff. Ch. Scot. (1828) I. i. v. 393 His fuel to ready it with was sea-tangle. [1765 J. Brown Chr. Jrnl. (1814) 237 It is but coarse and ill-readied provision which I have for breakfast.] 1831 Carlyle Sart. Res. i. v, Can a Tartar be said to cook when he only readies his steak by riding on it. 1881 Isle of Wight Gloss. s.v., That pork esn't readied enough. |
c. Of a person. Also const. up. Now chiefly N. Amer.
| 1846 Swell's Night Guide 78 He's to be readied at any downey move, and knows how to work it. 1895 J. Barlow Strangers at Lisconnel 303 Nothin' else 'ud suit them except gettin' all readied up for us to be slinkin' out in the evenin' late. 1900 H. Lawson Over Sliprails 162 The girl's relations..had a parson readied up, and they were married the same day. 1924 J. Galsworthy White Monkey ii. ix. 198 I'll put you wise about our authors, and ready you up to go before Peter. 1940 Sun (Baltimore) 27 Feb. 13/2 Johnny Paycheck already has been matched with him. Lee Savold is being readied for a shot at him. 1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 Feb. 4 (Advt.), An exercycle..to ready you for a party, or extra work. |
4. slang. a. Racing. To prevent (one's horse) from winning, in order to secure a handicap in another race.
| 1887 Black Sabina Zembra 38 ‘Readying’ a horse and running it out of form so as to scoop the big handicap. 1889 Sat. Rev. 2 Nov. 489/2 A handicap of 10,000l. will, indeed, be worth ‘readying’ a horse for. 1927 E. Wallace Mixer iv. 58 He sat..in his office..deploring inwardly the tendency of owners to ‘ready’ their horses for Epsom. |
b. Australian. With up: To prepare or manipulate in an improper way for some end.
| 1893 Melbourne Age 25 Nov. 13/2 (Morris) It has been said that a great deal has been ‘readied up’ for the jury by the present commissioners. 1933 Bulletin (Sydney) 15 Nov. 33/1 All readied-up, I thought, though not bad fun. |
Hence ˈreadying vbl. n.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter ix. 41 Þe rediynge of þaire hert, þat is, þaire hert redy to serue þe. 1884 St. James's Gaz. 5 Dec. 5/2 Striking feats of dexterous ‘readying’ and ‘passing’ which his companion performed. |