The state of being prepared to act. Readiness is maintained, not achieved, and holding it costs something.
Built on ready, from Old English geræde (prepared, equipped), related to Proto-Germanic garaidijaz; readiness names a state kept up rather than a task finished once.
The state of being prepared to act. The root's equipping was never a one-time event either — readiness is maintained, not achieved, and holding it always costs something.