eager beaver

eager beaver

Meaning

• someone who is very eager to perform tasks and is always offering to do more
• a person who does more than what is expected of them
• someone who is very excited about something

Example Sentences

1. Don't be such an eager beaver, we have plenty of time to complete the task.
2. John is such an eager beaver, nobody wants to work with him as he makes everyone else look bad.
3. My little sister is such an eager beaver that she has packed a massive suitcase to go on her first school trip, even though it is only for two days.
4. Don't worry about all of the extra work, June is such an eager beaver that she usually does everyone's work.
5. When I first started working here I was a very eager beaver, now I only do what is expected of me.

Origin

The phrase is relatively new, it was first used in the early 1900s to describe the very eager recruits who were willing to do anything to impress their commanding officers during the war. Beavers are large rodents that are well known for their skill of building dams that are very large compared to their size.