# eager

Pronunciation: US say "EE-gur" /ˈiɡɚ/; UK say "EE-guh" /ˈiːɡə/

## Adjective

1. Full of keen desire; impatient and enthusiastic to do or obtain something.
   - Simple: Wanting very much to do or get something.
   - _The new recruits were eager to prove themselves on their first assignment._
   - _Investors remained eager for any sign of a market recovery._
2. Calculating results immediately as they are defined, rather than deferring the work until the values are actually required.
   - Simple: Working out a result right away, instead of waiting until it is needed.
   - _The compiler uses an eager strategy, evaluating each subexpression before the next runs._
   - _Eager evaluation can waste effort computing values the program never ends up using._

## Verb

4. To be or become keen; to feel a strong desire or excitement.
   - Simple: To feel or grow keen and excited about something.
   - _The recruits eager for action long before they are ready for it._
   - _The apprentices eagered after every scrap of praise from the master._
5. To show or voice eagerness.
   - Simple: To show that you are keen, by what you say or do.
   - _The volunteers eager openly whenever a fresh project is proposed._
   - _He eagered at the chance, raising his hand before anyone else._
6. To make or encourage someone to be eager.
   - Simple: To make someone keen or excited to do something.
   - _A good mentor can eager even the most reluctant student toward learning._
   - _The recruiter eagered the graduates with promises of rapid advancement._

## Noun

Pronunciation: US say "AY-gur" /ˈeɪɡɚ/; UK say "AY-guh" /ˈeɪɡə/

7. Alternative form of eagre. — Alternative form of eagre (“tidal bor”).
   - Simple: Alternative form of eagre. It means a large wave that rushes up a river as the tide comes in.
   - _A powerful eager surged upstream, lifting moored boats as it passed._
   - _Fishermen timed their return to avoid the incoming eager._

## Adjective

3. Brittle and inflexible; breaking rather than bending under stress. *(dated)*
   - Simple: Easily broken, snapping instead of bending.
   - _The smith set aside the eager bars of iron that shattered under the hammer._
   - _Cast in haste, the blade proved eager and split along its edge._
8. Sharp and sour to the taste; acidic. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Having a sharp, sour taste.
   - _The ale had gone eager, biting the tongue like spoiled vinegar._
   - _She winced at the eager green apples picked too early._
9. Sharp, keen, and biting; cutting or severe, as of cold, wind, or intense feeling. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Sharp and biting, like very cold air or harsh, cutting feelings.

## Origin

Inherited from Middle English egre, from Old French aigre, from Latin ācrus, a variant of ācer meaning "sharp, keen" (related to acid and acerb).

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/eager (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).