| sooner | comparatives of `soon' or `early'; "Come a little sooner, if you can"; "came earlier than I expected | en | en |
| sooner | In the western United States, one who settles on government land before it is legally open to settlement in order to gain the prior claim that the law gives to the first settler when the land is opened to settlement; hence, any one who does a thing prematurely or anticipates another in acting in order to gain an unfair advantage | en | en |
| sooner | Sooner is the comparative of soon | en | en |
| sooner | You say the sooner the better when you think something should be done as soon as possible. Detective Holt said: `The kidnapper is a man we must catch and the sooner the better' | en | en |
| sooner | If you say that something will happen sooner or later, you mean that it will happen at some time in the future, even though it might take a long time. Sooner or later she would be caught by the police. = eventually | en | en |
| sooner | If you say that no sooner has one thing happened than another thing happens, you mean that the second thing happens immediately after the first thing. No sooner had he arrived in Rome than he was kidnapped. = scarcely | en | en |
| sooner | If you say that you would sooner do something or you'd sooner do it, you mean that you would prefer to do it. Ford vowed that he would sooner burn his factory to the ground than build a single vehicle for war purposes I'd sooner not talk about it I'd sooner he didn't know till I've talked to Pete I would sooner give up sleep than miss my evening class I'd sooner not, if you don't mind. = would rather | en | en |
| sooner | comparatives of `soon' or `early'; "Come a little sooner, if you can"; "came earlier than I expected" | en | en |
| sooner | more readily or willingly; "clean it well, preferably with warm water"; "I'd rather be in Philadelphia"; "I'd sooner die than give up" | en | en |
| soon | within a short time; quickly; at the nearest opportunity; willingly, readily | en | en |
| soon | Readily; willingly; in this sense used with would, or some other word expressing will | en | en |
| soon | Speedy; quick | en | en |
| soon | in the near future; "the doctor will soon be here"; "the book will appear shortly"; "she will arrive presently"; "we should have news before long | en | en |
| soon | Promptly; quickly; easily | en | en |
| soon | Without the usual delay; before any time supposed; early | en | en |
| soon | In a short time; shortly after any time specified or supposed; as, soon after sunrise | en | en |
| soon | If something is going to happen soon, it will happen after a short time. If something happened soon after a particular time or event, it happened a short time after it. You'll be hearing from us very soon This chance has come sooner than I expected The plane was returning to the airport soon after takeoff when it burst into flames Soon afterwards he separated from his wife | en | en |
| soon | If you say that something happens as soon as something else happens, you mean that it happens immediately after the other thing. As soon as relations improve they will be allowed to go You'll never guess what happened as soon as I left my room | en | en |
| soon | If you say that you would just as soon do something or you'd just as soon do it, you mean that you would prefer to do it. These people could afford to retire to Florida but they'd just as soon stay put I'd just as soon not have to make this public I'd just as soon you put that thing away She'd just as soon throw your plate in your face as serve you | en | en |
| soon | in the near future; "the doctor will soon be here"; "the book will appear shortly"; "she will arrive presently"; "we should have news before long" | en | en |
a:soon / Etymology :Middle English soone, from Old English sOna; akin to Old High German sAn immediately. Pronunciation :'sün, esp New England. Function :adverb. Date :before 12th century.
