var images = new Array(); images['1'] = { 'src' : '/images/instant-quote.png' } images['2'] = { 'src' : '/images/instant-quote-hover.png' } $(document).ready(function(){ preloadImages(images); }); function preloadImages(images){ for(i in images){ eval('image' + i + ' = new Image();'); eval('image' + i + '.src = images[i].src;') } }