soon English · revision 3643

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 830 (Old English sōna)|origins=gem-pro *sæno}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /suːn/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sone]], [[inh|ang|sōna|t=at once, immediately]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from [[gem-pro|*sæno]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) whose relatives include [[ofs|sōn|t=at once]] and [[goh|sān]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Barnhart notes that it is not found in Scandinavian and is obsolete in most other Germanic languages.^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[eftsoons]].^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ At once, immediately: Old English ''sōna'', before 830.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word has grown less urgent over the centuries: in Old English it meant “immediately”, and by early Middle English “within a short time”,^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) like ''presently'' after it.^(Cresswell 2021) Because ''sōna'' meant “at once”, Old English had no comparative or superlative;^(Barnhart 1988) ''sonre'' and ''sonest'' appear by about 1200, once the sense had widened to “before long, quickly, readily”.^(Barnhart 1988) The spelling ''soon'' is from about 1250.^(Barnhart 1988) ''As soon'', “rather”, is from 1457^(HTOED) or the late 16th century,^(Cresswell 2021) ''sooner you than me'' from the 15th century,^(Cresswell 2021) and ''sooner or later'' from the 1570s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 830 – Old English ''sōna'', at once.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – ''sooner'', ''soonest''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1250 – the spelling ''soon''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1457 – ''as soon'', rather.^(HTOED)

+ * 1570s – ''sooner or later''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # In a short time; [[shortly]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Promptly, quickly.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # Early: ''too soon''.^(AHD)

+ # Willingly, readily: ''I'd as soon stay''.^(AHD)^(Cresswell 2021)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' Immediately.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[eftsoons]]

+ * [[sooner or later]]

+ * [[as soon as]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[anon]]

+ * [[presently]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary notes that ''no sooner'' should be followed by ''than'', not ''when'': ''no sooner had she come than the maid knocked''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}