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Glite Dictionary
with bells on

with bells on

5 8.0
Very eager and happy to join in
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : con entusiasmo
  • But before we go too far, let me ask you once again, with bells on, to sign the petition.
  • I'll be there with bells on

Examples

Synonyms

buzzed with excitement
vswith bells on
4.7

Full of lively energy because people feel excited

is eager and ready to take part rather than only feeling excited

Antonyms

reluctantly
80 3.7

In a way that shows you do not want to do something

unenthusiastically
1 5.6

In a way that shows little interest or energy

How Eager

with bells on
  • Informal
5 8.0
eagerly
67 1.3
willingly
119 1.9
readily
163 2.3

Surface Forms

with bells on positive

Morphology

with + bell + on

The phrase 'with bells on' uses literal words that refer to being accompanied by bells, but the idiomatic meaning 'eagerly/enthusiastically' is not directly derivable from those constituents. The celebratory or emphatic nuance is culturally-based and metaphorical, so a B1 learner who knows the words would likely not predict the intended meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

The idiom with bells on may come from the picture of someone arriving wearing little bells that jingle and draw attention. If you come with bells on, you are showing you are excited and ready to join in, so the phrase means 'full of enthusiasm' or 'eager and ready'.