English idiom

in the offing

Register · Neutral CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

expected to happen or become available soon

Word picture

An event is pictured as visible just ahead, though it has not yet arrived.

Example

“With two major contracts in the offing, the company delayed its hiring freeze.”

Dictionary details

Tags

time
change

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

full circle

back to the original position or state after a series of changes

sign of the times

an event or development that reveals what a particular era is like

bright and early

at the very start of the morning

early bird

someone who prefers beginning the day before most other people

hang on a minute

used to ask someone to wait, or to express surprise or objection

so far so good

used to say that things have gone well up to now

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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