释义 |
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024im•mi•nence (im′ə nəns),USA pronunciation n. - Also, im′mi•nen•cy. the state or condition of being imminent or impending:the imminence of war.
- something that is imminent, esp. an impending evil or danger.
- Late Latin imminentia. See imminent, -ence
- 1600–10
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024im•mi•nent /ˈɪmənənt/USA pronunciation adj. - likely to occur at any moment:the imminent collapse of communism.
im•mi•nence, n. [uncountable] im•mi•nent•ly, adv. WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024im•mi•nent (im′ə nənt),USA pronunciation adj. - likely to occur at any moment;
impending:Her death is imminent. - projecting or leaning forward;
overhanging.
- Latin imminent- (stem of imminēns), present participle of imminēre to overhang, equivalent. to im- im-1 + -min- from a base meaning "jut out, project, rise'' (compare eminent, mount2) + -ent- -ent
- 1520–30
im′mi•nent•ly, adv. im′mi•nent•ness, n. - 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged near, at hand. Imminent, Impending, Threatening all may carry the implication of menace, misfortune, disaster, but they do so in differing degrees. Imminent may portend evil:an imminent catastrophe,but also may mean simply "about to happen'':The merger is imminent.Impending has a weaker sense of immediacy and threat than imminent:Real tax relief legislation is impending,but it too may be used in situations portending disaster:impending social upheaval; to dread the impending investigation.Threatening almost always suggests ominous warning and menace:a threatening sky just before the tornado struck.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged distant, remote.
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