see something coming

see (something) coming

To foresee, predict, or prepare for something well in advance of it actually arriving or happening. I saw this coming: You've been working too hard for too many days in a row not to come down with a really bad flu. Fortunately, we saw this service shutdown coming, so we set up a secondary system for dealing with customer queries in the meantime.
See also: coming, see
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

see something coming

foresee or be prepared for an event, typically an unpleasant one.
See also: coming, see, something
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

see something ˈcoming

realize that there is going to be a problem before it happens: We should have seen it coming. There was no way he could keep going under all that pressure. OPPOSITE: not know what hit you
See also: coming, see, something
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • see (something) coming
  • see it coming
  • see something a mile off
  • see, spot, smell, etc. something a mile off
  • see (something) a mile off
  • spot (something) a mile off
  • can see (from) a mile off
  • (only) time will tell
  • time alone will tell
  • time will tell
References in periodicals archive
Then just when them feel things couldn't get any worse, them see something coming towards them on the water.