soon
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++soon /suːn/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb (comparative sooner, superlative soonest) 1 SOONin a short time from now, or a short time after something else happens 不久，即刻，很快 It will be dark soon. 天很快就要黑了。 David arrived sooner than I expected. 戴维到得比我预料的快。soon after Paula became pregnant soon after they were married. 他们结婚后不久，葆拉就怀孕了。 ‘Who?’ ‘You’ll find out soon enough (=fairly soon).’ “谁？”“你很快就会知道的。”2 quickly 很快，马上 How soon can you finish the report? 你最快几时能写完报告？ Try and get the car fixed as soon as possible. 想办法尽快把车修好。3 as soon as immediately after something happens, without delay 一…就… As soon as she entered the room, she knew there was something wrong. 她一踏进房间就知道有什么不对劲了。 I’ll come over to your place as soon as I can. 我会尽快到你这里来。4 the sooner ( ... ) the better used to say that it is important that something should happen very soon 越快越好 The sooner we get this job finished the better. 这工作我们越快完成越好。 Let’s get out of here! The sooner the better! 我们离开这里吧！越快越好！5 the sooner ... the sooner used to say that you want something to happen soon, so that something else can then happen 越快…也会越快 The sooner I get this work done, the sooner I can go home. 我越快做完这件工作，就可以越早 回家。6 no sooner had/did ... than IMMEDIATELYused to say that something happened almost immediately after something else 一…就…，刚…就… No sooner had he sat down than the phone rang. 他刚坐下，电话铃就响了。7 sooner or later EVENTUALLYused to say that something is certain to happen at some time in the future, though you cannot be sure exactly when 迟早，总有一天 His wife’s bound to find out sooner or later. 他妻子迟早会发现。8 too soon too early 太早，为时过早too soon to do something It’s still too soon to say whether the operation was a success. 现在说手术是否成功还为时过早。 The holidays were over all too soon (=much earlier than you would like). 假期结束得太快了。9. no sooner said than done IMMEDIATELYused to say that you will do something immediately 立刻就做，说干就干10 not a moment too soon/none too soon ON TIMEalmost too late 未免太迟/几乎太晚 ‘The doctor’s here!’ ‘And not a moment too soon!’ “医生来了！”“差点就晚了！”11 somebody would sooner do something (than) PREFERif you would sooner do something, you would much prefer to do it, especially instead of something that seems unpleasant 某人宁愿做某事（也不…） I’d sooner die than marry you! 我宁可死也不和你结婚！12 somebody would (just) as soon formalPREFER used to say that someone would prefer to do something or would prefer something to happen 某人宁愿[宁可] I’d just as soon you didn’t drive the car while I’m gone. 我希望我不在的时候你不要开车。 THESAURUSsoon in a short time from now, or a short time after something else happens 不久,即刻,很快See you soon! 回头见！It seemed difficult at first, but I soon got used to it. 开始很难,但我很快就适应了。in the near future in the next few weeks or months. In the near future is more formal than soon 在不久的将来,不久〔比soon正式〕The book will be on sale in the near future. 这本书不久就会降价出售。in no time (at all) very soon – used to talk about something good happening 马上,很快〔用于指好事发生〕You’ll be feeling better in no time at all. 你马上就会好起来的。In no time at all, her son was starting to speak Japanese. 没多久,她儿子就开始说日语了。in a minute spoken used to say that you will do something or something will happen within a few minutes 马上,立刻I’ll be ready in a minute. 我马上就好。The film’s going to start in a minute. 电影马上开始。any minute now spoken used to say that something will or may happen very soon, but you do not know exactly when 随时,很快They should be here any minute now. 他们应该很快就到这里。any day now spoken used to say that something will or may happen in the next few days, but you do not know exactly when 不久,很快〔表示以后几天,但不知哪一天〕I’m hoping to hear from her any day now. 我希望很快就能收到她的来信。shortly formal a short time from now 立刻,马上,不久They will be with us shortly. 他们马上就到我们这里。the new laws that will shortly be coming into effect 即将生效的新法律before long especially literary soon – used especially when something happens which you expected to happen 不久以后〔尤用于预期会发生的事发生了〕They got married, and before long Anna was expecting a baby. 他们结婚了,不久安娜就怀了孩子。it will not be long used when saying that something will happen soon 很快It won’t be long before everything is back to normal. 很快一切就会恢复正常。n I knew that it wouldn’t be long before the same thing happened again.
Examples from the Corpus
soon• Why wasn't I told about this sooner?• In the evening the wind became stronger and soon a great storm broke above us.• They set off soon after breakfast.• They left soon after the birth, and Ariel could tell they were glad to.• I came as soon as I could.• Please reply as soon as possible.• As soon as the daughter leaves the room, Louise asks what is the matter.• As soon as the harvesting was done, the overseer called him to the porch of the house.• It'll soon be Christmas.• The track soon becomes rocky and steep, but not too much of a challenge for a decent four-wheel drive.• Driving in the city was hard at first, but she soon got used to it.• We soon realized how difficult the job was going to be.• But he soon returned and attacked her again.• They came back much sooner than we had anticipated.• We need to get him to a hospital, and the sooner the better.soon enough• Finally I dragged myself away, telling myself that I'd get a chance to use it properly soon enough.• Her aloofness at the interview at the Ritz is a punishment for him not calling her back soon enough.• If they didn't know now, Jed thought, they'd know soon enough.• Not the tapping baton of Conductor Richard Armstrong-although his powers over an able orchestra become evident soon enough.• Sir John would talk soon enough.• The negative will probably come soon enough.• I would think of a way to start an argument soon enough, I thought, falling asleep.• Soon enough, it started to rain.• We were taken to a room in another building which soon enough was packed to the rafters with people.as soon as possible• A call for papers has been issued and abstracts should be submitted as soon as possible.• But today the walk was just something to be accomplished as soon as possible.• Spread this across the surface of the slide with the other cover-glass, and view as soon as possible.• Kindly rectify this as soon as possible and consult Betty Syrett if you have any doubts or queries on the subject.• Please contact Rita as soon as possible if you would like to attend.• I had to paint the gashes as soon as possible so that rust would not begin to bite into Wavebreaker's long sleekness.• We must enact as soon as possible the National Human Welfare Act in order to regulate the use of humans in research.Origin soon Old English sona “immediately”soon adverb →THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChinese
short time in from a short Corpus a now, time or after
soon
soon S1 W1 /suːn/
adverb (comparative sooner, superlative soonest)
It will be dark soon.
David arrived sooner than I expected.
soon after
Paula became pregnant soon after they were married.
‘Who?’ ‘You’ll find out soon enough (=fairly soon).’
2. quickly:
How soon can you finish the report?
Try and get the car fixed as soon as possible.
3. as soon as immediately after something happens, without delay:
As soon as she entered the room, she knew there was something wrong.
I’ll come over to your place as soon as I can.
4. the sooner ( ... ) the better used to say that it is important that something should happen very soon:
The sooner we get this job finished the better.
Let’s get out of here! The sooner the better!
5. the sooner ... the sooner used to say that you want something to happen soon, so that something else can then happen:
The sooner I get this work done, the sooner I can go home.
6. no sooner had/did ... than used to say that something happened almost immediately after something else:
No sooner had he sat down than the phone rang.
7. sooner or later used to say that something is certain to happen at some time in the future, though you cannot be sure exactly when:
His wife’s bound to find out sooner or later.
8. too soon too early
too soon to do something
It’s still too soon to say whether the operation was a success.
The holidays were over all too soon (=much earlier than you would like).
9. no sooner said than done used to say that you will do something immediately
10. not a moment too soon/none too soon almost too late:
‘The doctor’s here!’ ‘And not a moment too soon!’
11. somebody would sooner do something (than) if you would sooner do something, you would much prefer to do it, especially instead of something that seems unpleasant:
I’d sooner die than marry you!
12. somebody would (just) as soon formal used to say that someone would prefer to do something or would prefer something to happen:
I’d just as soon you didn’t drive the car while I’m gone.
▪ soon in a short time from now, or a short time after something else happens: See you soon! | It seemed difficult at first, but I soon got used to it.
▪in the near future in the next few weeks or months. In the near future is more formal than soon: The book will be on sale in the near future.
▪in no time (at all) very soon – used to talk about something good happening: You’ll be feeling better in no time at all. | In no time at all, her son was starting to speak Japanese.
▪in a minute spoken used to say that you will do something or something will happen within a few minutes: I’ll be ready in a minute. | The film’s going to start in a minute.
▪any minute now spoken used to say that something will or may happen very soon, but you do not know exactly when: They should be here any minute now.
▪any day now spoken used to say that something will or may happen in the next few days, but you do not know exactly when: I’m hoping to hear from her any day now.
▪shortly formal a short time from now: They will be with us shortly. | the new laws that will shortly be coming into effect
▪before long especially literary soon – used especially when something happens which you expected to happen: They got married, and before long Anna was expecting a baby.
▪it will not be long used when saying that something will happen soon: It won’t be long before everything is back to normal. | I knew that it wouldn’t be long before the same thing happened again.
soon S1 W1 /suːn/
adverb (comparative sooner, superlative soonest) Language: Old English
Origin: sona 'immediately'
1. in a short time from now, or a short time after something else happens:Origin: sona 'immediately'
soon after
2. quickly:
3. as soon as immediately after something happens, without delay:
4. the sooner ( ... ) the better used to say that it is important that something should happen very soon:
5. the sooner ... the sooner used to say that you want something to happen soon, so that something else can then happen:
6. no sooner had/did ... than used to say that something happened almost immediately after something else:
7. sooner or later used to say that something is certain to happen at some time in the future, though you cannot be sure exactly when:
8. too soon too early
too soon to do something
9. no sooner said than done used to say that you will do something immediately
10. not a moment too soon/none too soon almost too late:
11. somebody would sooner do something (than) if you would sooner do something, you would much prefer to do it, especially instead of something that seems unpleasant:
12. somebody would (just) as soon formal used to say that someone would prefer to do something or would prefer something to happen:
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Hardly ,scarcely andbarely can all be used to say that something is only just true or possible. They are used with words likeany andanyone , with adjectives and verbs, and are often placed betweencan ,could ,have ,be , etc. and the main part of the verb.* hardly、scarcely 和 barely 均可指刚刚、几乎不，与 any 和 anyone 等词以及形容词和动词连用，常置于 can、could、have、be 等和动词主要成分之间 ：◆ They have sold scarcely any copies of the book. 这书他们几乎没卖出几本。 ◆ I barely recognized her. 我几乎认不出她了。 ◆ His words were barely audible. 他的话勉强听得见。 ◆ I can hardly believe it. 我几乎不敢相信。 ◆ I hardly can believe it. Hardly ,scarcely andbarely are negative words and should not be used withnot or other negatives.* hardly、scarcely 和 barely 为否定词，不应与 not 或其他否定词连用 ：◆ I can't hardly believe it. You can also use hardly ,scarcely andbarely to say that one thing happens immediately after another.亦可用 hardly、scarcely 和 barely 表示刚…就… ：◆ We had hardly/scarcely/barely sat down at the table, when the phone rang. 我们刚在桌子旁坐下，电话铃就响了。 In formal, written English, especially in a literary style, these words can be placed at the beginning of the sentence and then the subject and verb are turned around. 在正式的书面语中，尤其在文学体中，上述各词可置于句首，然后将主语和动词的位置倒装 ：◆ Hardly/Scarcely had we sat down at the table, when the phone rang. 我们刚在桌子旁坐下，电话铃就响了。 Note that you usually use when in these sentences, notthan . You can also usebefore .注意：在这类句子中通常用 when 而非 than，亦可用 before ：◆ I scarcely had time to ring the bell before the door opened. 我刚一按门铃，门就开了。 No sooner can be used in the same way, but is always used withthan .* no sooner 与上述词用法相同，但总与 than 连用 ：◆ No sooner had we sat down at the table than the phone rang. 我们刚在桌子旁坐下，电话铃就响了。 Hardly andscarcely can be used to mean 'almost never', butbarely is not used in this way.* hardly 和 scarcely 可表示几乎从不、难得，但 barely 不这样用 ：◆ She hardly (ever) sees her parents these days. 这些日子她难得见到她父母。 ◆ She barely sees her parents these days.
especially