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Eftsoons

Adverb
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Soon afterward; again before long. It is an archaic literary term.

Detailed Definition
Eftsoons has the manner of old romances, folk tales, and historical verse, where events unfold in swift but measured succession. It means soon or shortly afterward, often with a sense that something will recur. A poet might use it to let a knight depart and eftsoons return, or to show rain following sunshine in a changeable landscape. Because it is distinctly archaic, it works best where the surrounding diction supports a formal, legendary, or playful antiquarian tone.
Example
Example in poetry:
The thunder ceased, and eftsoons the birds began to sing; “Eftsoons” is an archaic adverb meaning soon afterward; In a Spenserian-style passage, “Eftsoons he rode away” gives the line an antique tone; The heroine weeps, then eftsoons gathers courage for the journey
Additional Notes
An archaic alternative to soon or shortly afterward, especially suited to deliberately old-fashioned diction.
Other Meanings of “Eftsoons”
Also Known As
Soon Shortly Anon
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