READY, a. red'y. [Eng. to rid; redo, ready; rida, to ride; bereda, to prepare. Gr. easy. The primary sense is to go, move, or advance forward, and it seems to be clear that ready, ride, read, riddle, are all of one family, and probably from the root of L. gradior. See Read and Red.]

1. Quick; prompt; not hesitating; as, ready wit; a ready consent.
2. Quick to receive or comprehend; not slow or dull; as, a ready apprehension.
3. Quick in action or execution; dextrous; as, an artist ready in his business; a ready writer. – Ps. xlv.
4. Prompt; not delayed; present in hand. He makes ready payment; he pays ready money for every thing he buys.
5. Prepared; fitted; furnished with what is necessary, or disposed in a manner suited to the purpose; as, a ship ready for sea. My oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. – Matth. xxii.
6. Willing; free; cheerful to do or suffer; not backward or reluctant; as, a prince always ready to grant the reasonable requests of his subjects. The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. – Mark xiv. I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. – Acts xxi.
7. Willing; disposed. Men are generally ready to impute blame to others. They are more ready to give than to take reproof.
8. Being at the point; near; not distant; about to do or suffer. A Syrian ready to perish was my father. – Deut xxvi. Job xxix. Ps. lxxxviii.
9. Being nearest or at hand. A sapling pine he wrench'd from out the ground, / The readiest weapon that his fury found. – Dryden.
10. Easy; facile; opportune; short; near, or most convenient; the Greek sense, ῥαδιος. Sometimes the readiest way which a wise man has to conquer, is to flee. – Hooker. Through the wild desert, not the readiest way. – Milton. The ready way to be thought mad, is to contend you are not so. – Spectator. To make ready, to prepare; to provide and put in order. #2. An elliptical phrase, for make things ready; to make preparations; to prepare.

In a state of preparation, so as to need no delay. We ourselves will go ready armed before the house of Israel. – Num. xxxii.

For ready money. Lord Strut was not flush in ready, either to go to law, or to clear old debts. [A low word.] – Arbuthnot.

To dispose in order; to prepare. [Not in use.] – Brooke.

1. 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.
2. In a state of preparation for immediate action; so as to need no delay.
   
   

   We ourselves will go ready armed. Num. xxxii. 17.

3. Ready money; cash; -- commonly with the; as, he was well supplied with the ready.
   
   
   [Slang]

   Lord Strut was not flush in ready, either to go to law, or to clear old debts. Arbuthnot.

4. To dispose in order.
   
   
   [Obs.] Heywood.
5. Fitted or arranged for immediate use; causing no delay for lack of being prepared or furnished.
   
   
   "Dinner was ready." Fielding.

   My oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. Matt. xxii. 4.

6. Prepared in mind or disposition; not reluctant; willing; free; inclined; disposed.
   
   

   I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts xxi. 13.

   If need be, I am ready to forego
   And quit. Milton.

7. Not slow or hesitating; quick in action or perception of any kind; dexterous; prompt; easy; expert; as, a ready apprehension; ready wit; a ready writer or workman.
   
   
   "Ready in devising expedients." Macaulay.

   Gurth, whose temper was ready, though surly. Sir W. Scott.

8. Offering itself at once; at hand; opportune; convenient; near; easy.
   
   
   "The readiest way." Milton.

   A sapling pine he wrenched from out the ground,
   The readiest weapon that his fury found. Dryden.

9. On the point; about; on the brink; near; -- with a following infinitive.
   
   

   My heart is ready to crack. Shak.

10. A word of command, or a position, in the manual of arms, at which the piece is cocked and held in position to execute promptly the next command, which is, aim.
    
    

    All ready, ready in every particular; wholly equipped or prepared. "[I] am all redy at your hest." Chaucer. -- Ready money, means of immediate payment; cash. "'T is all the ready money fate can give." Cowley. -- Ready reckoner, a book of tables for facilitating computations, as of interest, prices, etc. -- To make ready, to make preparation; to get in readiness.

    Syn. -- Prompt; expeditious; speedy; unhesitating; dexterous; apt; skillful; handy; expert; facile; easy; opportune; fitted; prepared; disposed; willing; free; cheerful. See Prompt.