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   In·stant

   /ˈinst(ə)nt/

   

   adjective

   • 1. happening or coming immediately: "the offense justified instant dismissal" Similar immediateinstantaneouson-the-spotpromptdirectswiftspeedyrapidquickexpeditiousexpresslightningsuddenprecipitateabruptinformal:snappyp.d.q. (pretty damn quick)literary:fleetratherare:alacritousOpposite delayedlong-term
   • ▪ prepared quickly and with little effort: "we can't promise instant solutions"
   • ▪ (of food) processed to allow quick preparation: "instant coffee" Similar pre-preparedready preparedready mixedprecookedfasteasy/quick to prepareeasy/quick to makemicrowaveableconvenienceTV
   • ▪ (of a person) becoming a specified thing immediately or very suddenly: "become an instant millionaire"
   • 2. urgent; pressing: dated "an instant desire to blame others when things go wrong"
   • 3. (in business letters) of the current month: dated "your letter of the 6th instant"
   • 4. of the present moment. archaic

   noun

   • 1. a precise moment of time: "come here this instant!" Similar momenttimepoint in timemoment in timeminutesecondhourstagephasejuncturepoint
   • 2. a very short space of time; a moment: "for an instant the moon disappeared" Similar short timelittle whilebitmomentminutesecondsplit secondtricetwinklingtwinkling of an eyeflash(less than) no timeno time at allinformal:secnanosecondjiffyjifftwo shakes of a lamb's tailthe blink of an eyemotwo tickssnapOpposite eternity
   • 3. instant coffee. informal

   Word Origin late Middle English (in instant (sense 2 of the adjective, sense 3 of the adjective, sense 4 of the adjective)): via Old French from Latin instant- ‘being at hand’, from the verb instare, from in- ‘in, at’ + stare ‘to stand’.

   Scrabble Points: 7

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   • N

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   • S

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   • T

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   • A

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   • N

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