Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - soon

~ adv 1 in a short time from now, or a short time after something else happens  (It will be dark soon. | David arrived back from Paris sooner than I expected. | They wanted to climb to the top, but they soon abandoned this idea.) + after  (Paula was pregnant soon after their honeymoon. | how soon (=how quickly))  (How soon can you finish the report? | as soon as possible (=as quickly as possible))  (Try and get the car fixed as soon as possible. | as soon as you can)  (I'll come over to your place as soon as I can. | all too soon (=much sooner than you would like))  (Children grow up all too soon. | the sooner the better (=used to say that it is important that something should happen very soon))  (The sooner you answer Jack's letter the better. | the sooner ... the sooner (=used to say that if something happens soon, then something that you want will happen soon afterwards))  (The sooner I get this work done, the sooner I can go home.) 2 as soon as immediately after something has happened  (I came as soon as I heard the news.) 3 no sooner had ... than used to say that something happened almost immediately after something else  (No sooner had he sat down than the phone rang.) 4 no sooner said than done used to say that you will do something immediately 5 sooner or later used to say that something is certain to happen at some in the future, though you cannot be sure exactly when  (She's bound to find out sooner or later.) 6 not a moment too soon/none too soon almost too late, and when you thought that something was not going to happen in time  ("The doctor's here!" "And not a moment too soon!") 7 would sooner do sth if you would sooner do something, you would much prefer to do it, especially instead of something that seems unpleasant  (I'd sooner die than marry you!) 8 would (just) as soon used to say that you would prefer to do something or would prefer something to happen  (I'd just as soon you didn't drive the car while I'm gone.)