instant

== English == === Alternative forms === instaunt (obsolete) === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈɪnstənt/ === Etymology 1 === From Middle English instant (“infinitely short period of time”), from Old French instant (“assiduous, at hand”, adjective), from Latin īnstāns, īnstantis (“present, pressing, urgent”, literally “standing near”), present active participle of īnstō (“to stand upon, be nearby”), from in- (“after”) +‎ stō (“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. Synonyms: eyeblink, flash, jiffy; see also Thesaurus:moment A single, usually precise, point in time. Synonyms: minute, moment A beverage or food which has been pre-processed to reduce preparation time, especially instant coffee. Ellipsis of instant camera. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From French instant and Middle English instant, both from Old French, from Latin instans (“standing by, being near, present, also urgent, importunate”), present participle of instō (“to stand upon, press upon, urge, pursue, insist”), from in (“on, upon”) + stō (“to stand”); see state. ==== Adjective ==== instant (not comparable) (dated) Impending; imminent. Synonyms: pending, proximate; see also Thesaurus:impending (dated) Urgent; pressing; acute. (dated) Insistent; persistent. Synonyms: exigent, imperious; see also Thesaurus:urgent January 2, 1827, Thomas Carlyle, letter to Mrs. Carlyle, Scotsbrig I am beginning to be very instant for some sort of occupation. (law) Present; current; extant. December 28, 2019 Attorney Jeffery S. Levin, quoted in The Boston Globe, p. 3 He received just two disciplinary reports prior to committing the instant offense, one in March 2019 for activating an alarm during a non-emergency situation, and one in May 2019 for failing to provide a urine specimen. Occurring immediately; immediate; present. Synonyms: instantaneous; see also Thesaurus:instantaneous Lasting for a short moment; momentary; short-lived. Synonyms: brief, transient; see also Thesaurus:ephemeral Very quickly and easily prepared. (dated) Of the current month. Alternative form: (abbreviation) inst. ===== Coordinate terms ===== ultimo (“of last month”) proximo (“of next month”) ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== instakill instance ===== Translations ===== ==== Adverb ==== instant (not comparable) (poetic) At once; immediately. ===== Related terms ===== === Etymology 3 === Ultimately from Latin īnstāre; its precise evolution is uncertain. OED hints at (unattested) Middle French *instanter. ==== Verb ==== instant (third-person singular simple present instants, present participle instanting, simple past and past participle instanted) (obsolete, transitive) To urge, press (someone); to insist on, demand (something). === Further reading === “instant, v.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000. == Catalan == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin īnstantem. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Central) [insˈtan] IPA(key): (Balearic, Valencia) [insˈtant] === Noun === instant m (plural instants) instant (very short period of time) ==== Related terms ==== instantani === Further reading === “instant”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 “instant”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026 “instant” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua. “instant” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962. == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ɛ̃s.tɑ̃/ === Adjective === instant (feminine instante, masculine plural instants, feminine plural instantes) (literary) pressing, insistent === Noun === instant m (plural instants) instant, minute, moment en un instant ― in an instant il n'y a pas un instant à perdre ― there's not a moment to spare ne durer qu'un instant ― to last only an instant ne pas douter de quelque chose un seul instant ― not to doubt something for a minute il ne faut qu'un instant pour le faire ― it takes only a minute to do ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “instant”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Latin == === Verb === īnstant third-person plural present active indicative of īnstō == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from English instant. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [inˈstant] === Adjective === instant m or f or n (indeclinable) instant (very quickly and easily prepared) ==== Declension ==== === Adjective === instant m or n (feminine singular instantă, masculine plural instanți, feminine/neuter plural instante) (nonstandard) instant (occurring immediately; immediate; present) ==== Declension ==== ==== Synonyms ==== instantaneu === Adverb === instant (nonstandard) instantly Synonym: instantaneu