Very close in time or distance; about to happen soon or located very nearby. Used both literally for physical proximity and figuratively for temporal nearness.
This phrase originated in the early 20th century, using the literal image of something being around the next street corner - close but not yet visible. It quickly developed metaphorical uses for time, suggesting that future events are as near as the next turn in a familiar neighborhood.
This phrase brilliantly uses our spatial understanding to help us grasp temporal concepts - it makes the abstract notion of 'soon' as concrete as walking to the next street corner. It's fascinating how it implies both proximity and hiddenness, suggesting that what we're waiting for is tantalizingly close but not quite visible yet.
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