eager

eager beaver

One who is industrious and enthusiastic (perhaps annoyingly so). Give that big project to the new girl, she's a real eager beaver. Aren't you an eager beaver, getting to the office an hour early.

See also: beaver, eager

eager beaver

someone who is very enthusiastic; someone who works very hard. New volunteers are always eager beavers. The young assistant gets to work very early. She's a real eager beaver.

See also: beaver, eager

eager beaver

An exceptionally zealous person, one who habitually takes on more tasks or works harder than others. For example, Bill is a real eager beaver, always volunteering to stay late. This expression became especially popular during World War II, applied to recruits anxious to impress their commanding officers by such behavior. [First half of 1900s]

See also: beaver, eager

an eager beaver

INFORMAL

If you describe someone as an eager beaver, you mean that they are very enthusiastic about work and want very much to please other people. There are always eager beavers, people who stay behind after the talk to ask penetrating questions. Ed was the first to arrive at the office, the eager beaver! Note: Eager-beaver can also be used before a noun. If fraud became an issue, he might interest an eager-beaver lawyer in the case. Note: You usually use these expressions to show that you find someone's behaviour foolish or annoying. Note: Beavers are often associated with hard work, as they spend a lot of time building shelters and dams (= walls across rivers) out of mud and wood.

See also: beaver, eager

an eager beaver

a person who is very enthusiastic about work. informal

See also: beaver, eager

an eager ˈbeaver

(informal) a person who is enthusiastic about work, etc: She always starts work early and leaves late. She’s a real eager beaver.

See also: beaver, eager

eager-beaver

n. a person who is very eager to do something. Rocko is an eager-beaver when it comes to collecting money for Mr. Big.