instant

instant
[[t]ɪ̱nstənt[/t]]
♦♦♦
instants
1) N-COUNT: usu sing An instant is an extremely short period of time.

For an instant, Catherine was tempted to flee...

The pain disappeared in an instant.

Syn:
2) N-SING: with supp, usu at/in N If you say that something happens at a particular instant, you mean that it happens at exactly the time you have been referring to, and you are usually suggesting that it happens quickly or immediately.

At that instant the museum was plunged into total darkness...

In the same instant he flung open the car door.

Syn:
3) PHR-CONJ-SUBORD (emphasis) To do something the instant something else happens means to do it immediately.

I had bolted the door the instant I had seen the bat.

Syn:
the minute
4) ADJ: usu ADJ n You use instant to describe something that happens immediately.

Mr Porter's book was an instant hit...

He had taken an instant dislike to Mortlake.

Syn:
Derived words:
instantly ADV ADV with v, ADV adj

The man was killed instantly...

The songs are instantly recognisable.

5) ADJ: ADJ n Instant food is food that you can prepare very quickly, for example by just adding water.

He was stirring instant coffee into two mugs of hot water.


English dictionary. 2008.

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Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • instant — instant, ante 1. (in stan, stan t ) adj. 1°   Qui poursuit, qui presse. Instante sollicitation. Aux instantes prières de cet homme. 2°   Qui nous est prochain, qui est sur nous. Le péril est instant. Le besoin est instant. •   Le régent avait… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • instant — n Instant, moment, minute, second, flash, jiffy, twinkling, split second are comparable when they mean a particular point of time or a stretch of time of almost imperceptible duration. Instant and moment are often used interchangeably {to us …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Instant — In stant, n. [F. instant, fr. L. instans standing by, being near, present. See {Instant}, a.] [1913 Webster] 1. A point in time; a moment; a portion of time too short to be estimated; also, any particular moment; as, teh situation may change in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • instant — in·stant adj: being under present consideration the questions presented in the instant case Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. instant …   Law dictionary

  • Instant — In stant, a. [L. instans, antis, p. pr. of instare to stand upon, to press upon; pref. in in, on + stare to stand: cf. F. instant. See {Stand}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Pressing; urgent; importunate; earnest. [1913 Webster] Rejoicing in hope; patient… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • instant- — DEFINICIJA 1. kao prvi dio riječi znači da što ima takav sastav ili da je izrađeno u takvoj tehnološkoj pripremi da se može prirediti brže nego što se to radi na uobičajen, tradicionalan način [instant kava; instant palenta] 2. iron. pejor. onaj… …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • instant — in‧stant [ˈɪnstənt] adjective happening or available immediately: • We do not expect instant profits. • The agreement will offer subscribers instant access to overseas databases. * * * instant UK US /ˈɪnstənt/ adjective ► happening immediately,… …   Financial and business terms

  • Instant — ist ein Begriff bei Lebensmitteln, der Fertigprodukte bezeichnet. Wortherkunft Der Begriff instant [ɪnstənt], der im Deutschen ‚sofort‘ bedeutet, ist ein Lehnwort aus der englischen Sprache. Er kommt ursprünglich aus dem Latein, und findet sich… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • instant — [in′stənt] adj. [LME < MFr < L instans, prp. of instare, to stand upon or near, press < in , in, upon + stare, to STAND] 1. urgent; pressing 2. soon to happen; imminent 3. without delay; immediate [to demand instant obedience] 4.… …   English World dictionary

  • instant — INSTÁNT adj. invar. Instantaneu, rapid. ♦ (Despre mâncăruri sau băuturi) Care se prepară repede, fără fierbere, prin dizolvare. [pr.: stánt] – cuv. engl. Trimis de valeriu, 21.07.2003. Sursa: DEX 98  instánt adj. m., pl. instánţi …   Dicționar Român

  • Instant- — Präfixoid sofort gebrauchsfähig erw. fach. ( ) Beschreibung von Affixen. Bildungen der Werbesprache nach dem Vorbild von ne. instant coffee sofort löslicher, sofort gebrauchsfähiger Kaffee . ne. instant stammt über mfrz. instant aus l. īnstāns… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

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