{"id":484,"date":"2022-05-11T16:32:55","date_gmt":"2022-05-11T16:32:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=484"},"modified":"2022-05-11T16:33:15","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T16:33:15","slug":"anytime-soon-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/anytime-soon-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Anytime Soon - Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you looking for a way to tell someone to lower their expectations around someone or something turning up? You could always use \"anytime soon<\/em>\" to give them a timeline. This phrase has a dual meaning, and you probably hear it in conversation all the time.<\/p>\n

Let's unpack everything you need to know about this idiom's meaning, origin, and use in conversation.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The phrase \"anytime soon<\/em>\" implies that you are not expecting a result in the near future. Anytime soon can have dual meanings, depending on how you use it in conversation. <\/strong><\/p>\n

It can also mean that you are waiting for the impending arrival of a person or event. However, the use of the former is more common than the latter.<\/strong><\/p>\n

By saying \"anytime soon<\/em>,\" you're referring to a timeframe, which could be referencing a long or short time period, depending on the context of the phrase in the conversation. In most cases, the use of anytime soon<\/em> in American-English appears in negative questions or sentences.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\"I don't think we're going to see Lee back at work anytime soon<\/em>. He won the lottery last night.\"<\/p>\n

\"I don't think Dave will pay me back anytime soon<\/em>.\"<\/p>\n

\"There's no chance that Nicole will be coming back anytime soon<\/em> after she found out I was cheating on her.\"<\/p>\n

\"I don't think we can expect Karen to turn up anytime soon<\/em>. She was talking about quitting yesterday.\"<\/p>\n

\"I don't think we're going to make it around to Susan's place anytime soon<\/em>; we just have too much going on right now.?<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

There is no official explanation for when the term \"anytime soon<\/em>\" originated in the English language. However, the word \"anytime<\/em>\" first appeared in the English language in 1926. The original meaning of the word was that a person was willing to do a task at any time.<\/p>\n

Anytime also has its origins as a contraction, commonly referred to as a casualism. While the word was frequently used in informal conversation, it's a grammatically incorrect word in the original context. However, as grammar rules changes over the decades, anytime experienced integration into grammatically correct language.<\/p>\n

The phrase gained popularity during the 70s and 80s, appearing in many films. One of the earliest uses of the word in entertainment comes from the 1991 movie \"Predator.\"<\/em> In the film, one of the characters removes a scorpion from his squad members' back using the tip of a knife, crushing it under his foot.<\/p>\n

After the soldier thanks him for removing the scorpion, he replies with \"anytime<\/em>.\" Thus, \"anytime<\/em>\" has been used in the English language as an adverb. Adding \"soon<\/em>\" to the word to form the phrase \"anytime soon<\/em>\" was the natural development of the word and its use in modern language.<\/p>\n