Old English ræde, geræde "prepared, ready," of a horse, "ready for riding," from Proto-Germanic *garaidijaz "arranged" (cognates: Old Frisian rede "ready," Middle Dutch gereit, Old High German reiti, Middle High German bereite, German bereit, Old Norse greiðr "ready, plain," Gothic garaiþs "ordered, arranged"), from PIE root *reidh- "to ride" (see ride, v.). Lengthened in Middle English by change of ending. Ready-made first attested early 15c.; ready-to-wear is from 1890.

early 13c., "to administer;" c.1300, "to take aim;" mid-14c., "to prepare, make ready," from ready, adj.. Related: Readied; readying.