soon

*soon as possible

at the earliest time. (*Also: as ~.) I'm leaving now. I'll be there as soon as possible. Please pay me soon as possible.

See also: possible

(Are you) leaving so soon? and You leaving so soon?

a polite inquiry made to a guest who has announced a departure. (Appropriate only for the first few guests to leave. It would seem sarcastic to say this to the last guest to leave or one who is leaving very late at night.) Sue: We really must go. Sally: Leaving so soon? Sue: Fred has to catch a plane at five in the morning. John (seeing Tom at the door): You leaving so soon? Tom: Yes, thanks for inviting me. I really have to go. John: Well, good night, then.

See also: leave

(I'll) see you (real) soon.

Good-bye. I will meet you again soon. Bill: Bye, Sue. See you. Sue: see you real soon, Bill. John: Bye, you two. Sally: See you soon. Jane: See you, John.

See also: see

(I'll) talk to you soon.

I will talk to you on the telephone again soon. Sally: Bye now. Talk to you soon. John: Bye now. Bill: Nice talking to you. Bye. Mary: Talk to you soon. Bye.

See also: talk

as soon as

at the moment that; at the time that; when. I fell asleep as soon as I lay down. John ate dinner as soon as he came home.

Early ripe, early rotten, and Soon ripe, soon rotten.

Prov. A child with extraordinary talent or intelligence will probably lose those qualities by the time he or she grows up. Jill: Philip was such a fine young boy; I'm surprised he's become such a good-for-nothing adult. Jane: Early ripe, early rotten. Jane: You must be very proud of your little boy. He seems so mature for his age. Ellen: I'm afraid it won't last. You know what they say: "Soon ripe, soon rotten."

See also: early, rotten

fool and his money are soon parted

Prov. Foolish people spend money, without thinking. (Perceived as a rebuke if you say it about the person you are addressing.) Go ahead and buy a diamond collar for your dog if you really want to. A fool and his money are soon parted. Bill sends a check to every organization that asks him for money. A fool and his money are soon parted.

See also: and, fool, his, money, parted

God takes soonest those he loveth best.

Prov. Good people often die young. The minister told the boy's grieving parents that God takes soonest those he loveth best. It may seem to us that Nancy was too young to die, but God takes soonest those he loveth best.

See also: best, god, take, those

had (just) as soon do something and would (just) as soon do something

prefer to do something else; to be content to do something. (The would or had is usually expressed as the contraction 'd.) They want me to go into town. I'd as soon stay home. If you're cooking stew tonight, we'd as soon eat somewhere else. I would just as soon stay home as pay to go to see a bad movie.

See also: had

I spoke too soon. 

1. Fig. I am wrong.; I spoke before I knew the facts. Bill: I know I said I would, but I spoke too soon. Sue: I thought so. John: You said that everything would be all right. Jane: I spoke too soon. That was before I learned that you had been arrested.

2. Fig. What I had said was just now contradicted. Bob: It's beginning to brighten up. I guess it won't rain after all. John: I'm glad to hear that. Bob: Whoops! I spoke too soon. I just felt a raindrop on my cheek. Bill: Thank heavens! Here's John now. Bob: No, that's Fred. Bill: I spoke too soon. He sure looked like John.

See also: spoke

I'd (just) as soon (as) do something

I would prefer to do something. Tom: Why don't you give Joe a call? Jane: I'd as soon as you did it. I'd just as soon we didn't stay here long.

so soon

early; before the regular time; ahead of schedule. I got there early because my bus arrived so soon. Because the meeting ended so soon, I had some extra time.

would as soon do something as look at you

Rur. would be eager to do something harmful as simply look at you. He was a mean so-and-so who would as soon shoot you as look at you. He'd as soon pick a fight as look at you.

See also: look

Yesterday wouldn't be too soon.

Immediately.; Right away. (An answer to the question "When do you want this?") Mary: Mr. Franklin, when do you want this? Fred: Well, yesterday wouldn't be too soon. Alice: When am I supposed to have this finished? Sue: Yesterday wouldn't be too soon.

See also: yesterday

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A fool and his money are soon parted.

something that you say which means that stupid people spend money without thinking about it enough Gianni relishes his extravagant lifestyle - but then a fool and his money are soon parted.

See also: and, fool, his, money, parted

Least said, soonest mended.  (British & Australian old-fashioned)

something that you say which means a bad event or situation can be forgotten more easily if you do not talk about it I've always thought it best not to dwell on grievances too long. Least said, soonest mended.

See also: least

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as soon as

when We'll come as soon as we can.

Related vocabulary: as soon as possible

as soon as something

immediately after something As soon as the kids fall asleep, the phone rings.

as soon as possible

in the least amount of time there can be We need an ambulance as soon as possible! Someone has been hurt!

Related vocabulary: as soon as

See also: possible

speak too soon

to say something that is quickly proven to be not true A few days ago I said my job is pretty stress-free, but I spoke too soon – the stress level at work has gone way up this week.

See also: speak

would just as soon

to prefer to I'd just as soon work at home and not have the hassle of the subway every morning.

See also: just