READY

(PREPARED) [adjective] [not gradable] - prepared and suitable for immediate activity"The dinner's ready," she called out."Are you ready? Hurry up - we're late."I quickly finish dressing in the morning when my mother says, "Get ready. We have to leave."The concert hall was made ready (= prepared) for the performance.The waiter came over to the table and asked, "Are you ready to order?"He looked ready to (= as if he would very soon) collapse.(disapproving) If you are too ready with something you are too eager to do it.He's too ready with (= too eager to give) his advice.Secret information allowed the police to be ready and waiting (= waiting and prepared to act) when the robbers came out of the bank.The sheriff slept with his gun ready to hand (= close to him and prepared for use) under his pillow.He stood by the phone, pencil at the ready (= prepared to write).Ready to also means willing to.What good friends you have - they're always ready to help you out.They weren't ready to lend me the money.(UK) Ready, steady, go! is said at the start of a race, esp. one for children.Clothes that are ready-to-wear (UK and ANZ also off-the-peg, US also off-the-rack) are produced in standard sizes and not made to fit a particular person.If something is ready-made it has been found or bought in a finished form or is available to use immediately.ready-made frozen mealsI didn't make the birthday cake myself - I bought it ready-made.When she married Giles, she acquired a ready-made family - two teenage sons and a daughter.(dated informal) Ready money is money that is available to be spent immediately.See also readies.