at the ready

Canned answers to prying questions about career mistakes and bumps in our personal lives must be at the ready the moment the festivities begin.

Hook it to your backpack or your belt loop and adventure worry-free with a beverage at the perfect temperature at the ready.

Mrs. Clarke, I am sorry to interrupt your chess game, but could you summon Jasper and have him at the ready to run a letter to the post, posthaste?”

Your apartment smells like dirty socks, Michael thought, and perhaps if he were bigger, stronger, older, he would have said all this, fists clenched, fight at the ready.

These were used to promote yet more investment opportunities - slideshows and card machines at the ready.