in the air vs in the offing

in the air

prep
  • In the surrounding ambience. 

  • Unsupported and liable to be turned or taken in flank. 

  • Not in a fixed or stable position; unsettled; up in the air. 

  • Prevalent without traceable origin or authority. 

  • In the generally prevailing feeling, idea, atmosphere, or mood. 

in the offing

prep
  • At a distance, but visible. 

  • Within the area of the sea known as the offing; at a considerable distance from land, but visible from shore, often in reference to an approaching ship. 

  • Soon to come; likely to happen; in the foreseeable future; projected to occur; on the horizon; in the wind. 

How often have the words in the air and in the offing occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )