Word Study
before long
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Adverbial before long has 1 sense
- before long(r = adv.all) presently, shortly, 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"
THESAURUS
before long
after a time, after a while, afterward, afterwards, anon, betimes, by and by, by destiny, directly, ere long, fatally, hopefully, imminently, in a moment, in a while, in aftertime, in due course, in due time, in the future, later, predictably, presently, probably, proximo, shortly, soon, tomorrowROGET THESAURUS
before long
Earliness
N earliness, morning, punctuality, promptitude, haste, suddenness, prematurity, precocity, precipitation, anticipation, a stitch in time, early, prime, forward, prompt, summary, premature, precipitate, precocious, prevenient, anticipatory, rath, sudden, unexpected, near, near at hand, immediate, early, soon, anon, betimes, rath, eft, eftsoons, ere long, before long, shortly, beforehand, prematurely, precipitately, too soon, before its time, before one's time, in anticipation, unexpectedly, suddenly, before one can say 'Jack Robinson', at short notice, extempore, on the spur of the moment, on the spur of the occasion, at once, on the spot, on the instant, at sight, offhand, out of hand, a' vue d'oeil, straight, straightway, straightforth, forthwith, incontinently, summarily, immediately, briefly, shortly, quickly, speedily, apace, before the ink is dry, almost immediately, presently at the first opportunity, in no long time, by and by, in a while, directly, no sooner said than done, immediately, if not sooner, tout vient a temps pour qui sait attendre.
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