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"With bells on"...what does this mean?
10 Answers
- Dust in the WindLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
With bells on...
Thomas contributes: To be somewhere with "bells on" refers to a practice peddlers had when they roamed the area west of the Appalachians selling wares. To avoid Indians, they traveled as silently as possible until they reached a settled area. Then they unmuffled bells hung around their horses necks to announce their arrival to outlying cabins. Hence, "I'll be there with bells on." The peddlers' arrival was a much anticipated major event in the mostly tedious and hard lives of settlers, not only for the goods they sold, but also for the news, letters, and messages they carried from the outside world.
Source(s): http://www.rootsweb.com/~genepool/meanings.htm This is a fun site...not sure of its reliability since it relies on people's contributions, but it explains a lot of popular cliches and expressions. - Anonymous1 decade ago
With bells on, in its most common current use, is an informal expression that means 'eagerly; ready to enjoy oneself', and your response was sure to please your host. There's the added connotation that you're not only looking forward to the occasion (usually some sort of party) but that you're all set to contribute to the festivities and add to everyone else's enjoyment. And "I'll be there..." is so often heard preceding the "bells" part that they're virtually inseparable
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Some form of material has bells of some type fastened to it.
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- Anonymous1 decade ago
something like 'Dressed to the nines"
- Anonymous1 decade ago
means he/she is alert
- Anonymous1 decade ago
happily, eagerly.