off to the races

1. Departing for something. Your suitcases better be packed because, once the cab gets here, we'll be off to the races.

2. In the midst of activity. Good news, sir—the architect is already off to the races on that project you approved this morning.

off to the races

Fig. an expression characterizing the activity or excitement that is just beginning; [we are] leaving for something interesting or exciting. The tour bus is out in front waiting and we've said goodbye to everyone. Looks like we're off to the races.

See also: off, race

References in periodicals archive ?

the door on the glass tank closes, the water rises to give Moose buoyancy, the treadmill starts, and he's off to the races.

Dogs on treadmills

Cue sinister music and you're off to the races as Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel), now a young man, wants an eye for an eye, as well as various other tasty human body parts.

'HANNIBAL' WON'T SATISFY YOUR HUNGER FOR BACKGROUND

Record profits coupled with little or no regulation of the oil industry, and it's off to the races once again in Canada as far as natural resources versus the health of the environment are concerned.

Nigeria of the north: oil sands frenzy threatens Alberta environment

All Philips and MKM (Mitsubishi Kagaku Media)/Verbatim had to do was develop the hardware/media technologies, make certain it could be inexpensively and reliably produced and the +RW Alliance was off to the races.

Inside looking out observations from the dark side of the industry

WE'RE off to the races -on the Sunday Mercury's famous Cheltenham Gold Cup tour.

The Mag: HOLIDAYS - Gold Cup Enjoy a day at the races

The Tote are weighing in with a pounds 2 off voucher (see conditions) so remember to cut out our coupons, to be redeemed at the turnstile, before setting off to the races.

HORSERACING: SAVE pounds pounds pounds pounds AT MUSSELBURGH

From there, it was off to the races for a small but sometimes influential number of zealots.

Are we still the Marian kind?

Barona Resort Introduces New Off to the Races Game on Saturdays

Spotted yesterday buying her big race outfits at her favourite shop, Cricket, in Liverpool, TV presenter Coleen said: "I'm turning 22 on Thursday and I'm off to the races at Aintree for about the fifth year in a row.

COLEEN IS A RACING CERT

Then Epstein's rendition of ``The Proposal'' gets under way, and we're off to the races.

ANTON'S ALL-STARS A TALENTED ENSEMBLE DOES CHEKHOV THE RIGHT WAY IN AN EVENING OF ONE-ACT PLAYS

That was a fairly simple equation for Andy Markle, proprietor of Bayweb printing at the time, and we were off to the races.

Newspaper purchase a life-changing event

Coming up with a name was tricky because the Gaburlen Group's first choice, Off To The Races, was not available for trademark in the U.

Partners learn that marketing is no game

They put the final touches to their outfit - and headed off to the races.

Finding that tipfer the toff

Skippers wait several minutes for a ``biter'' and if a yellow doesn't show, it's off to the races and another flock of diving birds.