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The meaning of “offing” in “an agreement in the offing”

The meaning of “slot”The meaning of revenuethe meaning of “modelling”the meaning of “ unbreached”the meaning of 'spin ' hereThe meaning of 'attend'The meaning of 'brace'the meaning of “larkdene”a joint defense agreement vs a defense agreement

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margin-bottom:0;

10

I am now reading this article, and I met a paragraph saying,

Even backbench Conservative MPs looking for a crumb of comfort, or at least a ladder to climb down, were disappointed. “Having met the prime minister earlier today, I was unconvinced that he had a plan to reach a deal on Brexit,” David Gauke tweeted on Tuesday before voting in favor of legislation stopping a no-deal Brexit. If an agreement really was in the offing, Johnson’s own brother Jo, who resigned Thursday citing the tension between family loyalty and national interest, might well have stuck around.

Merriam Unabridged definitions,

transitive verb
1
: to take off : doff
2
slang : kill, murder

intransitive verb
1
of a ship : to move away from shore : start out to sea
2
a : to go away : depart — used chiefly as an imperative

b : to get or be off — used chiefly as an imperative

And the free-version definition of Merriam,

Definition of off (Entry 4 of 6)

intransitive verb

: to go away : DEPART —used chiefly as an imperative
Off, or I'll shoot!

So it seems to me none seems appropriate.

Thank you for your support.

word-meaning

share|improve this question

edited Sep 7 at 0:29

userr2684291

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asked Sep 6 at 22:57

KentaroKentaro

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add a comment
 | 

10

I am now reading this article, and I met a paragraph saying,

Even backbench Conservative MPs looking for a crumb of comfort, or at least a ladder to climb down, were disappointed. “Having met the prime minister earlier today, I was unconvinced that he had a plan to reach a deal on Brexit,” David Gauke tweeted on Tuesday before voting in favor of legislation stopping a no-deal Brexit. If an agreement really was in the offing, Johnson’s own brother Jo, who resigned Thursday citing the tension between family loyalty and national interest, might well have stuck around.

Merriam Unabridged definitions,

transitive verb
1
: to take off : doff
2
slang : kill, murder

intransitive verb
1
of a ship : to move away from shore : start out to sea
2
a : to go away : depart — used chiefly as an imperative

b : to get or be off — used chiefly as an imperative

And the free-version definition of Merriam,

Definition of off (Entry 4 of 6)

intransitive verb

: to go away : DEPART —used chiefly as an imperative
Off, or I'll shoot!

So it seems to me none seems appropriate.

Thank you for your support.

word-meaning

share|improve this question

edited Sep 7 at 0:29

userr2684291

2,89533 gold badges1616 silver badges3232 bronze badges

asked Sep 6 at 22:57

KentaroKentaro

1,82611 gold badge1212 silver badges2323 bronze badges

add a comment
 | 

I am now reading this article, and I met a paragraph saying,

Even backbench Conservative MPs looking for a crumb of comfort, or at least a ladder to climb down, were disappointed. “Having met the prime minister earlier today, I was unconvinced that he had a plan to reach a deal on Brexit,” David Gauke tweeted on Tuesday before voting in favor of legislation stopping a no-deal Brexit. If an agreement really was in the offing, Johnson’s own brother Jo, who resigned Thursday citing the tension between family loyalty and national interest, might well have stuck around.

Merriam Unabridged definitions,

transitive verb
1
: to take off : doff
2
slang : kill, murder

intransitive verb
1
of a ship : to move away from shore : start out to sea
2
a : to go away : depart — used chiefly as an imperative

b : to get or be off — used chiefly as an imperative

And the free-version definition of Merriam,

Definition of off (Entry 4 of 6)

intransitive verb

: to go away : DEPART —used chiefly as an imperative
Off, or I'll shoot!

So it seems to me none seems appropriate.

Thank you for your support.

word-meaning

share|improve this question

edited Sep 7 at 0:29

userr2684291

2,89533 gold badges1616 silver badges3232 bronze badges

asked Sep 6 at 22:57

KentaroKentaro

1,82611 gold badge1212 silver badges2323 bronze badges

share|improve this question

edited Sep 7 at 0:29

userr2684291

2,89533 gold badges1616 silver badges3232 bronze badges

asked Sep 6 at 22:57

KentaroKentaro

1,82611 gold badge1212 silver badges2323 bronze badges

share|improve this question

edited Sep 7 at 0:29

userr2684291

2,89533 gold badges1616 silver badges3232 bronze badges

asked Sep 6 at 22:57

KentaroKentaro

1,82611 gold badge1212 silver badges2323 bronze badges

edited Sep 7 at 0:29

userr2684291

2,89533 gold badges1616 silver badges3232 bronze badges

edited Sep 7 at 0:29

userr2684291

2,89533 gold badges1616 silver badges3232 bronze badges

asked Sep 6 at 22:57

KentaroKentaro

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asked Sep 6 at 22:57

KentaroKentaro

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2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

22

Offing is not a verb here, but a noun meaning

the near or foreseeable future [MW]

I would say you will almost exclusively encounter this meaning in the set phrase in the offing, which is to say

​(informal) likely to appear or happen soon [OALD]

as in the example you quote.

share|improve this answer

answered Sep 6 at 23:04

chosterchoster

16.2k3939 silver badges7373 bronze badges

add a comment
 | 

5

The original English usage is interesting to ponder. It goes back to the early 1600's, can be found in the OED:

The part of the visible sea at a distance from the shore beyond anchorages or inshore navigational dangers.

The present day figurative usage in the answer of @choster arose only in the late 1700's.

share|improve this answer

edited Sep 8 at 14:08

answered Sep 7 at 15:54

Lee MosherLee Mosher

15944 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Exactly. Since there are 4-5 definitions for the verb "off" too, in probably middle English, this "word" played some or even great roles by numerous people at various kind of social status,and more interestingly, according to the definition by Merriam Unabridged, the answer word by choster, the very "offing" comprises of off+ing which IMO could imply this noun offing very clearly come from the word off itself.
  
  – Kentaro
  Sep 7 at 16:03
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  And what makes me thrown into more perplexity all the synonyms listed in the MU is all about "future" related. "Even though", there are other 3 definitions of this noun "offing", which is marine-sea-related. I think linguists would be very intrigued by the etymology of this word.
  
  – Kentaro
  Sep 7 at 16:08
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  as you, Lee Moshers's answer says.
  
  – Kentaro
  Sep 7 at 16:09
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I'm not a linguist, but I think that transference of terminology between properties of space (in this case the surface of the sea) and time are not that uncommon.
  
  – Lee Mosher
  Sep 7 at 16:34
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  My Shorter OED says (for "offing"): "ORIGIN: Perh. from off adverb + -ing". So, the origin's not known. I always thought it came from "offering", as in something "in the offing" is going to be offered to you in the near future. Whether you want it to, or not :-)
  
  – Tom Hundt
  Sep 8 at 15:51
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment
 | 

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22

Offing is not a verb here, but a noun meaning

the near or foreseeable future [MW]

I would say you will almost exclusively encounter this meaning in the set phrase in the offing, which is to say

​(informal) likely to appear or happen soon [OALD]

as in the example you quote.

share|improve this answer

answered Sep 6 at 23:04

chosterchoster

16.2k3939 silver badges7373 bronze badges

add a comment
 | 

22

Offing is not a verb here, but a noun meaning

the near or foreseeable future [MW]

I would say you will almost exclusively encounter this meaning in the set phrase in the offing, which is to say

​(informal) likely to appear or happen soon [OALD]

as in the example you quote.

share|improve this answer

answered Sep 6 at 23:04

chosterchoster

16.2k3939 silver badges7373 bronze badges

add a comment
 | 

Offing is not a verb here, but a noun meaning

the near or foreseeable future [MW]

I would say you will almost exclusively encounter this meaning in the set phrase in the offing, which is to say

​(informal) likely to appear or happen soon [OALD]

as in the example you quote.

share|improve this answer

answered Sep 6 at 23:04

chosterchoster

16.2k3939 silver badges7373 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

answered Sep 6 at 23:04

chosterchoster

16.2k3939 silver badges7373 bronze badges

answered Sep 6 at 23:04

chosterchoster

16.2k3939 silver badges7373 bronze badges

answered Sep 6 at 23:04

chosterchoster

16.2k3939 silver badges7373 bronze badges

5

The original English usage is interesting to ponder. It goes back to the early 1600's, can be found in the OED:

The part of the visible sea at a distance from the shore beyond anchorages or inshore navigational dangers.

The present day figurative usage in the answer of @choster arose only in the late 1700's.

share|improve this answer

edited Sep 8 at 14:08

answered Sep 7 at 15:54

Lee MosherLee Mosher

15944 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Exactly. Since there are 4-5 definitions for the verb "off" too, in probably middle English, this "word" played some or even great roles by numerous people at various kind of social status,and more interestingly, according to the definition by Merriam Unabridged, the answer word by choster, the very "offing" comprises of off+ing which IMO could imply this noun offing very clearly come from the word off itself.
  
  – Kentaro
  Sep 7 at 16:03
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  And what makes me thrown into more perplexity all the synonyms listed in the MU is all about "future" related. "Even though", there are other 3 definitions of this noun "offing", which is marine-sea-related. I think linguists would be very intrigued by the etymology of this word.
  
  – Kentaro
  Sep 7 at 16:08
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  as you, Lee Moshers's answer says.
  
  – Kentaro
  Sep 7 at 16:09
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I'm not a linguist, but I think that transference of terminology between properties of space (in this case the surface of the sea) and time are not that uncommon.
  
  – Lee Mosher
  Sep 7 at 16:34
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  My Shorter OED says (for "offing"): "ORIGIN: Perh. from off adverb + -ing". So, the origin's not known. I always thought it came from "offering", as in something "in the offing" is going to be offered to you in the near future. Whether you want it to, or not :-)
  
  – Tom Hundt
  Sep 8 at 15:51
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment
 | 

5

The original English usage is interesting to ponder. It goes back to the early 1600's, can be found in the OED:

The part of the visible sea at a distance from the shore beyond anchorages or inshore navigational dangers.

The present day figurative usage in the answer of @choster arose only in the late 1700's.

share|improve this answer

edited Sep 8 at 14:08

answered Sep 7 at 15:54

Lee MosherLee Mosher

15944 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Exactly. Since there are 4-5 definitions for the verb "off" too, in probably middle English, this "word" played some or even great roles by numerous people at various kind of social status,and more interestingly, according to the definition by Merriam Unabridged, the answer word by choster, the very "offing" comprises of off+ing which IMO could imply this noun offing very clearly come from the word off itself.
  
  – Kentaro
  Sep 7 at 16:03
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  And what makes me thrown into more perplexity all the synonyms listed in the MU is all about "future" related. "Even though", there are other 3 definitions of this noun "offing", which is marine-sea-related. I think linguists would be very intrigued by the etymology of this word.
  
  – Kentaro
  Sep 7 at 16:08
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  as you, Lee Moshers's answer says.
  
  – Kentaro
  Sep 7 at 16:09
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I'm not a linguist, but I think that transference of terminology between properties of space (in this case the surface of the sea) and time are not that uncommon.
  
  – Lee Mosher
  Sep 7 at 16:34
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  My Shorter OED says (for "offing"): "ORIGIN: Perh. from off adverb + -ing". So, the origin's not known. I always thought it came from "offering", as in something "in the offing" is going to be offered to you in the near future. Whether you want it to, or not :-)
  
  – Tom Hundt
  Sep 8 at 15:51
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment
 | 

The original English usage is interesting to ponder. It goes back to the early 1600's, can be found in the OED:

The part of the visible sea at a distance from the shore beyond anchorages or inshore navigational dangers.

The present day figurative usage in the answer of @choster arose only in the late 1700's.

share|improve this answer

edited Sep 8 at 14:08

answered Sep 7 at 15:54

Lee MosherLee Mosher

15944 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

edited Sep 8 at 14:08

answered Sep 7 at 15:54

Lee MosherLee Mosher

15944 bronze badges

answered Sep 7 at 15:54

Lee MosherLee Mosher

15944 bronze badges

answered Sep 7 at 15:54

Lee MosherLee Mosher

15944 bronze badges