Nelly Min

Reader's question:

1.He is a rascal with bells on.

2.Mary went to the ball with bells on.

Could you explain “with bells on”?

My comments:

"With bells on" means "eager; ready to participate."

If you describe something as a thing with bells on, you mean that it has similar qualities to that thing but they are more extreme. Example: This latest series is melodrama with bells on.

If you go somewhere or do something with bells on, you do it with a lot of interest and energy. This phrase is frequently used in reply to a party invitation. Example: I'll be at the party with bells on.

The phrase originated in the late 19th/early 20th centuries, and most of the early citations suggest a US origin.

It is also used as an aggressive response to a challenge.

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Quote unquote

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About the author:

Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily website.