in the offing

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to give me your considered opinion concerning the interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentences?

Here, than, was the guest. There is unlimited energy in the offing – right in the sea. As might be expected, a rash of pie-in-the-sky prediction broke out.

in the offing = near by, at hand, a short way off

Here was Aileen talking bravely of the necessity of her Frank finding a woman suitable to his needs, tastes, abilities, but now that the possibility of another woman equally or possibly better suited to him was looking in the offing, she could not reason in the same way. (Th. Dreiser, “The Titan”)

I was as certain as I’ve ever been of anything that all sorts of rotten things were in the offing.

in the offing = soon, before long, forthcoming, impending

V.

[Tdol]

1- I think it refers to temporal and not geographical distance.