Imminent, a.
Etymology: [L. imminens, p. pr. of imminere to project; pref. im- in + minere (in comp.) to jut, project. See Eminent.]
1. Threatening to occur immediately; near at hand; impending; -- said especially of misfortune or peril. "In danger imminent." Spenser.
2. Full of danger; threatening; menacing; perilous. Hairbreadth scapes i' the imminent deadly breach. Shak.
3. (With upon) Bent upon; attentive to. [R.] Their eyes ever imminent upon worldly matters. Milton.
Syn. -- Impending; threatening; near; at hand. -- Imminent, Impending, Threatening. Imminent is the strongest: it denotes that something is ready to fall or happen on the instant; as, in imminent danger of one's life. Impending denotes that something hangs suspended over us, and may so remain indefinitely; as, the impending evils of war. Threatening supposes some danger in prospect, but more remote; as, threatening indications for the future. Three times to-day You have defended me from imminent death. Shak. No story I unfold of public woes, Nor bear advices of impending foes. Pope. Fierce faces threatening war. Milton.
Shades of meaning
Imminent, from the Latin, with the sense of projecting over, signifies liable to happen at once, as some calamity, dangerous and close at hand. Impending, also from the Latin, with the sense of hanging over, is closely akin to imminent, but somewhat less emphatic. Imminent is more immediate, impending more remote, threatening more contingent. An impending evil is almost sure to happen at some uncertain time, perhaps very near; an imminent peril is one liable to befall very speedily; a threatening peril may be near or remote, but always with hope that it may be averted.