/'ɒfɪŋ; [US] 'ɔ:f-; `ɔfɪŋ/
n (idm 习语) in the offing (infml 口) likely to appear or happen soon; not far away 即将来临; 将发生; 不远
*The smell of cooking told them there was a meal in the offing. 他们闻到做菜的味儿, 知道眼看要吃饭了.

n
[Date: 1700-1800; Origin: offing 'part of the deep sea that you can see from the shore' (17-20 centuries), from off]
be in the offing
to be likely to happen soon
　Big changes were in the offing.