on the anvil

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on the anvil

1. (idiomatic) In a state of discussion, formation, or preparation; not yet matured.

   Synonyms: in the works, in the hopper

   Coordinate terms: on the cards, in the cards, in the offing, impending; underway

   • November 1 1711, William King, letter to Jonathan Swift

     I have several things on the anvil, and near finished, that perhaps might be useful if published

   • 1863, J[oseph] Sheridan Le Fanu, “In Which Captain Devereux’s Fiddle Plays a Prelude to ‘Over the Hills and Far Away’”, in The House by the Church-yard. […], volume I, London: Tinsley, Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 308:

     She designed his retirement from the Royal Irish Artillery, and had negociated an immediate berth for him on the staff of the Commander of the Forces, and a prospective one in the household of Lord Townshend; she had another arrangement "on the anvil" for a seat in Parliament, which she would accomplish, if that were possible; and finally, a wife.

   • 2023 March 9, “GST refunds on shopping for foreign tourists on the anvil”, in VATupdate‎^[1]:

     Foreign tourists may be able to get refunds on goods and services tax (GST) paid by them for shopping in India in the near future, with the government planning to take up the long-pending issue soon.

   • 2025 September 4, Bishwanath Ghosh, “Kolkata's oldest bookshop opens a free library at its historic College Street premises. Dasgupta and Co. has created a public library mainly with the intention of benefiting students who can't afford books; an online library is also on the anvil”, in The Hindu‎^[2]:

     The oldest surviving bookshop in Kolkata has finally opened a free reading library at its historic premises on College Street […] Dasgupta and Co., which has been in the business since 1886, has made the rare gesture of transforming a part of it — the second floor of the heritage structure in which the shop is located — into a public library, mainly with the intention of benefiting students who can't afford books.

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: being worked by a blacksmith.