soon

A1 Topic:Time

Also spelled sooin

US /sun/ UK /suːn/
adv adj Freq #352

Meanings

  1. 1
    adv

    In a short time from now.

    The doctor will soon be here.

  2. 2
    adv

    Early; before the expected time.

    How is it that you have come so soon today?

  3. 3
    adv

    Willingly; just as happily (used with would).

    I would just as soon stay home tonight.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adv · in a short time from now. before longpresentlyshortly
Word family
Forms soonersoonest
Derived forms eftsoonsoversoonsoon-to-besoon-to-wedsoonishsoonlysoonness
Related forms prematurely

Etymology

From Middle English sone, from Old English sōna (“immediately, at once”), from Proto-West Germanic *sān(ō), from Proto-Germanic *sēna, *sēnô (“immediately, soon, then”), from *sa (demonstrative pronoun), from Proto-Indo-European *só (demonstrative pronoun). Cognate with Scots sone, sune, schone (“soon, quickly, at once”), North Frisian san (“immediately, at once”), dialectal Dutch zaan (“soon, before long”), Middle Low German sân (“right afterwards, soon”), Middle High German sān, son (“soon, then”), Old High German sār (“immediately, soon”). Compare also Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐍃 (suns, “immediately, soon”…

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