loaded for bear

English

Etymology

An allusion to equipping oneself with the sort of heavy weaponry suitable for hunting large animals.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Adjective

loaded for bear (not comparable)

1. (idiomatic) Thoroughly equipped, as for a demanding task or confrontation.
   • 1955, Edward Latimer Beach, chapter 6, in Run Silent, Run Deep:

     "The whole Jap Navy," said Captain Sams, waving at a map of Japan on the wall behind him, "has been steaming across the Pacific loaded for bear."

2. (idiomatic) Mentally prepared for a daunting situation or confrontation.
   • 1917, Lucy Maud Montgomery, chapter 35, in Anne's House of Dreams:

     Every Elliott and Crawford and MacAllister is on the warpath, loaded for bear.

Translations

thoroughly equipped

• Finnish: viimeisen päälle varustautunut
• German: auf alles vorbereitet, für alle Eventualitäten ausgerüstet
• Polish: uzbrojony po zęby (pl) (literally “armed to the teeth”)

See also

• lock and load
• arm to the teeth