English

Alternative forms

• eftsones
• eftsoon
• eftsoones

Adverb

eftsoons ‎(not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Once again; another time. [11th-17th c.]
2. (now archaic) Soon after, presently. [from 13th c.]
   • 1568, Erasmus Roterodamus; N. L., transl., A Modest Meane to Mariage, Pleasauntly set foorth, Henrie Denham:

     But wil you giue me leaue now eftsones a while to play the Sophister his part with you?

   • 1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], The Shepheardes Calender: Conteyning Tvvelue Æglogues Proportionable to the Twelue Monethes. Entitled to the Noble and Vertuous Gentleman most Worthy of all Titles both of Learning and Cheualrie M. Philip Sidney, London: Printed by Hugh Singleton, dwelling in Creede Lane neere vnto Ludgate at the signe of the gylden Tunne, and are there to be solde, OCLC 606515406; republished in Francis J[ames] Child, editor, The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser: The Text Carefully Revised, and Illustrated with Notes, Original and Selected by Francis J. Child: Five Volumes in Three, volume III, Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company; The Riverside Press, Cambridge, published 1855, OCLC 793557671, page 406, lines 222–228:

     Now stands the Brere like a lord alone, / Puffed up with pryde and vaine pleasaunce. / But all this glee had no continuaunce: / For eftsones winter gan to approche; / The blustering Boreas did encroche, / And beate upon the solitarie Brere; / For nowe no succoure was seene him nere.

   • 1800, 1817, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, (1800 edition and 1817 edition), third stanza:

     He holds him with his skinny hand,

     ‘There was a ship,’ quoth he.

     ‘Hold off ! unhand me, grey-beard loon !’

     Eftsoons his hand dropt he.

   • 1913 Walt Mason, Rippling Rhymes

     ... but when the world is really wise—may that day come eftsoons!

   • 1991, Roger Zelazny & Robert Sheckley, Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming, Bantam Books, New York, page 205:

     Princess Scarlet fanned herself with the Chinese fan that Supply had provided and, turning to Achmed Ali, said in formal tones, "Belike, sir, I've not seen thy match for overall all-in dancing eftsoons.

   • 2009 Aug/Sep, Sterling, Bruce, “Esoteric City”, in Fantasy/SciFi, volume 117, number 1/2, page 227:

     "Eftsoons he will speak unto you," warned the mummy formally; ...

Translations

Anagrams

• festoons
• softnose