Meaning
What does Bright Eyed And Bushy Tailed mean?
Bright eyed and bushy tailed is a definition of a person being enthusiastic, full of energy and eager to accomplish their goals.
Another interpretation of the term can be somewhat similar to the above mentioned, except in this case the person’s enthusiasm seems unnatural, almost alarming.
Origin
What's the origin of Bright Eyed And Bushy Tailed?
No direct source is clear for the origin of this idiom, although the “bright eyed” part of the expression is believed to have come from the late 1500’s.
Some linguists believe that “bushy tailed” was added to the term only in the mid 1800’s.
The first written source of this particular term can be found in the Jungle Book, written by Rudyard Kipling, an English author and poet.
He used the expression in his book to define a superb quality in a person.
Spread & Usage
How did Bright Eyed And Bushy Tailed spread?
Jason Farham used bright eyed and bushy tailed as a title for one of his songs, which was released in the year 2019.
You can also run into this phrase online, featuring in various memes.
These memes usually use the expression with an ironic connotation, referring to furry animals.
In the 2016 movie, Central Intelligence, Bob Stone (portrayed by Dwayne Johnson) utters this particular idiom to his partner Calvin Joyner (portrayed by Kevin Hart).