ready
/ˈɹɛd.i/ adjective, verb, noun, proper noun
Forms readier readiest readies readying readied Readys
- adjective Prepared for immediate action or use. “I made ready to set out on my journey.”
- adjective (prepositive) first only used predicatively, freely used from the end of the 17th century “a loaf of ready-sliced bread”
- adjective Inclined; apt to happen.
- adjective Liable at any moment. “The seed is ready to sprout.”
- adjective Not slow or hesitating; quick in action or perception of any kind. “a ready apprehension”
- adjective Offering itself at once; at hand; opportune; convenient.
- verb (transitive) To prepare; to make ready for action.
- noun (slang) Ready money; cash.
- proper noun A surname.
- proper noun An unincorporated community in Grayson County, Kentucky, United States.
Synonyms
fit dexterous prompt easy expert good to go yark prime cook fix make prepare set up gear up set quick
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English redy, redi, rædiȝ, iredi, ȝerǣdi, alteration ( + -y) of earlier irēd, irede, ȝerād (“ready, prepared”), from Old English rǣde, ġerǣde (also ġerȳde) ("prepared, prompt, ready, ready for riding (horse), mounted (on a horse), skilled, simple, easy"), from Proto-Germanic *garaidijaz, *raidijaz, from base *raidaz (“ready”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂reh₁dʰ-, *h₂reh₁- (“to count, put in order, arrange, make comfortable”) and also probably conflated with Proto-Indo-European *reydʰ- (“to ride”) in the sense of "set to ride, able or fit to go, ready". Cognate with Scots readie, reddy (“ready, prepared”), West Frisian ree (“ready”), Dutch gereed (“ready”), German bereit (“ready”), Danish rede (“ready”), Swedish redo (“ready, fit, prepared”), Norwegian reiug (“ready, prepared”), Icelandic greiður (“easy, light”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌸𐍃 (garaiþs, “arranged, ordered”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Prepared for what one is about to do or experience; equipped or supplied with what is needed for some act or event; prepared for immediate movement or action; as, the troops are ready to march; ready for the journey. "When she redy was." Chaucer.
- adjective Fitted or arranged for immediate use; causing no delay for lack of being prepared or furnished. "Dinner was ready." Fielding.
- adverb In a state of preparation for immediate action; so as to need no delay.
- noun Ready money; cash; --commonly with the; as, he was supplied with the ready. [Slang]
Etymology [AS. ræde; akin to D. gereed, bereid, G. bereit, Goth. garáids fixed, arranged, and possibly to E. ride, as meaning originally, prepared for riding. Cf. Array, 1st Curry.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ready”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details