loaded for bear

adjective

Thoroughly equipped, as for a demanding task or confrontation.

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Meanings

adjectiveloaded for bear (not comparable)
  1. idiomaticnot comparableThoroughly equipped, as for a demanding task or confrontation.

    "The whole Jap Navy," said Captain Sams, waving at a map of Japan on the wall behind him, "has been steaming across the Pacific loaded for bear."

    1955, Edward Latimer Beach, chapter 6, in Run Silent, Run Deep
  2. idiomaticnot comparableMentally prepared for a daunting situation or confrontation.

    Every Elliott and Crawford and MacAllister is on the warpath, loaded for bear.

    1917, Lucy Maud Montgomery, chapter 35, in Anne's House of Dreams

Origin

An allusion to equipping oneself with the sort of heavy weaponry suitable for hunting large animals.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish viimeisen päälle varustautunut
  • viimeisen päälle varustautunutthoroughly equipped
German auf alles vorbereitet, für alle Eventualitäten ausgerüstet
  • auf alles vorbereitetthoroughly equipped
  • für alle Eventualitäten ausgerüstetthoroughly equipped
Polish uzbrojony po zęby
  • uzbrojony po zębythoroughly equipped
Cite this entry
APA

loaded for bear. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/loaded%20for%20bear

MLA

“loaded for bear.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/loaded%20for%20bear. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “loaded for bear,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/loaded%20for%20bear.

Source: loaded for bear on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.