instant
English
Alternative forms
- instaunt (obsolete)
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɪnstənt/
Audio (US) (file)
Etymology 1
From Middle English instant (“infinitely short period of time”), from Old French instant (“assiduous, at hand”, adj), from Latin instans, instant- (“present, pressing, urgent”, literally “standing near”), from in + stāre (“to stand”). Compare Old English instede (“immediately, on the spot, at once”). More at in, stand.
Noun
instant (plural instants)
- A very short period of time; a moment.
- She paused for only an instant, which was just enough time for John to change the subject.
- A single, usually precise, point in time.
- The instant the alarm went off, he fled the building.
- A beverage or food which has been pre-processed to reduce preparation time, especially instant coffee.
- A day of the current month (abbreviated as: inst.)
- In response to your letter of the twenty-first instant...
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Etymology 2
From Old French and French instant, from Latin instans (“standing by, being near, present, also urgent, importunate”), present participle of instare (“to stand upon, press upon, urge, pursue, insist”), from in (“on, upon”) + stare (“to stand”); see state.
Adjective
instant (not comparable)
- (dated) Impending; imminent.
- Prior
- Impending death is thine, and instant doom.
- Prior
- (dated) Urgent; pressing; acute.
- Bible, Rom. xii. 12
- Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.
- Carlyle
- I am beginning to be very instant for some sort of occupation.
- Bible, Rom. xii. 12
- Occurring immediately; immediate; present.
- Fuller
- The instant time is always the fittest time.
- 1905, Baroness Emmuska Orczy, chapter 2, in The Hocussing of Cigarette:
- No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very strict ; he had often threatened any one of his employés with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts.
- Fuller
- Lasting for a short moment; momentary; short-lived.
- Very quickly and easily prepared.
- instant coffee; instant noodles; instant mashed potato; instant photo
- Of the current month.
- Synonym: inst. (abbreviation)
- I refer to your letter of the 16th instant in regard to traffic disruption.
Derived terms
- instantize, instantise
- instantly
- instant mash
- instant replay
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Adverb
instant (not comparable)
- (poetic) At once; immediately.
- 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, I.182:
- He left the room for his relinquished sword, / And Julia instant to the closet flew.
- 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, I.182:
Related terms
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɛ̃s.tɑ̃/
instant (file)
Adjective
instant (feminine singular instante, masculine plural instants, feminine plural instantes)
Derived terms
Further reading
- “instant” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Latin
Romanian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [inˈstant]
Declension
singular | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
nominative/ accusative |
indefinite | instant | instant | instant | instant | ||
definite | — | — | — | — | |||
genitive/ dative |
indefinite | instant | instant | instant | instant | ||
definite | — | — | — | — |
Adjective
instant m or n (feminine singular instantă, masculine plural instanți, feminine and neuter plural instante)
- (nonstandard) instant (occurring immediately; immediate; present)
Declension
singular | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | neuter | feminine | masculine | neuter | feminine | ||
nominative/ accusative |
indefinite | instant | instantă | instanți | instante | ||
definite | instantul | instanta | instanții | instantele | |||
genitive/ dative |
indefinite | instant | instante | instanți | instante | ||
definite | instantului | instantei | instanților | instantelor |