Idioms and Slang 10: Bright-eyed and Bushy-tailed

I've been sick these past few days and it seems to be taking some time for me to get back to feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. This is a common expression meaning to be alert, full of energy and enthusiasm.

There seems to be some disagreement on exactly where this expression comes from. Most sites and forums state that the expression refers to squirrels, but according to the "Encyclopedia of Words and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson,

"Bright-eyed is obvious and the bushy-tailed here is a reference to the tail of a cat, which fluffs up when the animal becomes excited. The expression means cheerful and lively, and it dates back to the nineteenth century."

Other synonyms for this expression are: chipper, high-spirited, pert or peppy.

VOCABULARY squirrel - écureuil bushy-tailed - à queue touffue to fluff up - hérriser, faire bouffer cheerful - joyeux, gai, allègre chipper - débonnaire high-spirited - vif, exubérant pert - espiègle, coquin peppy - plein d'entrain