Idioms

raring to go

This page is about the idiom raring to go

Meaning

If you're raring to go, you're full of energy and you can't wait to get started on whatever it is you're doing.

For example

  • After the coach gave a great team talk, the players were pumped up and raring to go.

  • Don't you hate it when Hillary bursts into the office at 8 o'clock on Monday mornings, full of life and raring to go? Why can't she be miserable on Monday mornings like everyone else?

Note:
Always used in the continuous form. For the past, we say "was raring to go" or "had been raring to go", not "rared to go". For the future, you can say "will be raring to go", not "will rare to go".

Origin: Possibly related to the fact that a horse "rears up" or lifts its front legs off the ground and stands on its hind legs when it's excited or it wants to run off. "Raring" could be an older form of the word "rearing", as in "rearing up".

Quick Quiz

Carlos was at the starting line, raring to go. He

a. was sure he could win this time

b. needed to go to the bathroom

c. really didn't feel like running
a) was sure he could win this time b) needed to go to the bathroom c) really didn't feel like running

Learn idioms easily with
Common English Idioms PDF ebook!

Common English Idioms

Contributor: Matt Errey