imminence n : the state of being imminent and liable to happen soon [syn: imminency, imminentness, impendence, impendency, forthcomingness]

English

Noun

1. The state or condition of being about to happen, imminent.

Imminence is the quality of being imminent, i.e. about to happen. Topics where the concept is utilised include:

• In law:
  • Imminent threat, justification for the use of force in international law
  • Right of self-defense for civilians requires a similar "imminent" threat
  • Assault (tort), requires that harm is imminent, even if harm does not in fact occur
  • Imminent lawless action, justification for restriction of free speech, superseding the earlier "clear and present danger"
  • Exigent circumstance, justification for law enforcement to enter property without a warrant, may involve imminence
• End time, religious beliefs regarding the imminence or otherwise of the end of the world
  • Second Coming of Jesus
    • Imminence in the Olivet discourse, problematic passage in the Gospels
• Mayday (distress signal), meaning "grave and imminent danger"

Other uses of Imminent:

• Imminent, Belgian electronic noise music project
• Impact is Imminent, fourth album by thrash metal band Exodus
• Imminent Indeed, gothic adaptation of John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera

See also

• Emergency management
  • Warning system

Similar spellings

• Eminence (disambiguation)
• Immanence, existence and action within the mind or the world; as opposed to transcendence

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