The month’s question was what does the expression “bright-eyed and bushy-tailed” mean? To quote directly from the source:
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 19th century.The question (and answer) were taken from p. 101 of the Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson. The book was published by Facts on File in 1997.
