Eager Beaver
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
American expression, in World War II, for a recruit so over-zealous that he would volunteer for jobs on every possible occasion. Subsequently passed into civilian use.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Eager Beaver” mean?
American expression, in World War II, for a recruit so over-zealous that he would volunteer for jobs on every possible occasion. Subsequently passed into civilian use.
Is “Eager Beaver” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.