adv. Obs. or arch. Forms: 1 eftsóna, 3–5 eft-, efsone, 4–7 eft(e)soone, (6 eft sonne), 3–6 eft(e)sons, -nes, -nis, (4 efsoins, 5 eftones, aftsounes, 6 eftsens, 7 eftsonce, 8 effesons), 4–7 eft(e)soones, (6 effsoones), 6– eftsoons, 7– eftsoon. In several of the forms sometimes written as two words. [f. EFT adv. + SOON; in the later forms with -s after the analogy of advbs. from genitive cases.]
1. A second time, again.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Mark x. 1. Þa comon eft meniʓu to him and … he hi lærde eft sona.
c. 1300. St. Brandan, 231. Gret travayl ȝou is to come er ȝe eftsone lond i-seo.
c. 1400. Maundev., v. 51. The Sarazines countrefeten it [Bawme] be sotyltee of Craft … the Apotecaries countrefeten it eftsones.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., 540. It is no nede forto write the same proof of resoun eftsoone here.
1576. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 303. It therefore needeth not now eftsoones to be rehearsed.
1637. R. Ashley, trans. Malvezzi’s David Persecuted, 166. Those other are seldome delivered out of their dangers, but they returne eftsoones to their misdoings.
b. quasi-adj. with vbl. sb.
1571. [see 3].
1611. Cotgr., Iteration … repetition … eftsoones-doing.
2. Indicating sequence or transition in discourse: Again, moreover, likewise.
950. [see EFT adv. 2].
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 133. Eft-sone godes word is icleped sed.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 7. Eftsone ure helendes on tocume þincð dieliche and grisliche all manne.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2417. So watz Adam in erde with one bygyled … & Samson eft sonez.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2478. Then Elinus, eftesones, he drest hym to say.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 217. Vnlesse the party do eat some garlick before, and eftsoones in the gathering [of the white Ellebore] sup off some wine … it wil … offend the head.
3. Afterwards, soon afterwards. (The notion of ‘soon,’ though app. implied in the etymology, is not distinctly evidenced in early examples, and down to 17th c. is sometimes absent; but in mod. archaistic use the sense is commonly ‘forthwith, immediately.’)
1297. R. Glouc., Chron. (1724), 397. Anoþer gret mayster he slou, & efsone þe þrydde.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 81. Hacon … praied him ȝit eftsonne To com tille Inglond.
14[?]. E. E. Misc. (1855), 78. Eft sone set hit one the fyre to hit boyle.
1530–1. Act 22 Hen. VIII., c. 12. If he do not accomplishe the order … to be eftsones taken and whipped.
1571. Act 13 Eliz., c. 12. If any Person Ecclesiastical shall not reuoke his errour, or after such reuocation eftsoones affirms such untrue doctrine … such eftsoones affirming shalbe iust cause to deprive such person [etc.].
1598. Ord. Prayer, in Liturg. Serv. Q. Eliz. (1847), 680. Those disloyal defections in Ireland … turned eftsoons into violent commotions.
1608. Shaks., Per., V. i. 256. I b. Toward Ephesus turne our blowne sayles, Eftsoones Ill tell thee why.
1610. Holland, trans. Camden’s Brit., I. 558. Henry the fourth Earle, efts-once honorably employed.
1748. Thomson, Cast. Indol., I. xxix. Not one eftsoons in view was to be found.
a. 1764. Lloyd, Progr. Envy, Wks. 1774, I. 136.
| She wav’d it round: Eftsoons there did appear | |
| Spirits and witches, forms unknown before. |
a. 1856. Longf., Elected Knight, vii. Sir Oluf questioned the knight eftsoon.
1871. Sunday Mag., 118. They eftsoons fell down, as men very nigh dead.
4. From time to time, occasionally, repeatedly.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. cxliii. (1495), 700. They [wylowes] mowe efte sones be shred and paryd without a ladder.
1540. Raynald, Byrth Mankynde (1614), 153. Infirmities, which eft-soones happen to Infants in their infancy.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1636), 81. Maugre, a name eftsoones vsed in the worshipfull family of Vavasors, Malgerius, in old histories.
1600. Holland, Livy, IX. xxxiii. 338. He having eftsoons [identidem] rehearsed and reiterated the law Æmylia.
1632. Sherwood, Eftsoone, souvent.
1720. Stow’s Surv. (ed. Strype, 1754), I. I. vi. 31/2. Both these do happen eftsoons.
5. Eftsoons as: as soon as.
c. 1555. in Ridley’s Wks. (1841), 256. Dr. Ridley … eftsoons as he had heard the cardinal named … put on his cap.
a. 1555. Latimer, Serm. & Rem. (1845), 278. The other prisoner … eftsoons as he was placed, said to the lords.
