the noose is hanging
Preparations are complete. The phrase originally referred to public executions, and so it sometimes implies that an audience is assembled for whatever has been prepared. The actors are here, the stage is set, and the auditorium is filled. The noose is hanging, people—it's time to start Act I. I prepped the lab for the experiment, so the noose is hanging, whenever you want to begin.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.