- [countable, usually singular] a very short period of time瞬间；片刻 synonym moment
- in an instant I'll be back in an instant.我马上就回来。
- for an instant Just for an instant I thought he was going to refuse.刹那间我以为他会拒绝。
Extra Examples- For a brief instant, I thought she was going to fall.剎那间我以为她要倒下了。
- He paused for an instant before continuing.他停顿了片刻才继续下去。
- His news was too important to be contained for a single instant longer.他的消息太重要了，不容片刻耽误，要马上发出去。
- It was all over in an instant.转瞬之间一切都结束了。
- She woke up in the instant before the phone rang.她刚刚醒来电话铃就响了。
Topics Timec1Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjectiveverb + instantpreposition- at…instant
- for an instant
- in an instant
- …
See full entry - [countable, usually singular] a particular point in time某一时刻
- at that instant At that (very) instant, the door opened.就在那时，门开了。
- the instant (that)… I recognized her the instant (that) (= as soon as) I saw her.我一眼就认出她了。
- this instant Come here this instant (= immediately)!马上过来！
Extra Examples- The next instant she was flying through the air.一转眼，她已经在空中飞行了。
- The bomb could go off at any instant.炸弹随时都可能爆炸。
- At any given instant the distribution of molecular speeds is always constant under the same conditions.在相同条件下，分子速度分布在任何时刻都是恒定的。
- He took out his keys to lock the door. At that very instant the door flew open and a man ran into the room.他拿出钥匙准备锁门，恰在此时，门突然被撞开，一个男子冲进了房间。
- (informal)
(also instant coffee)
[uncountable] coffee that can be made quickly and easily by adding hot water 速食的；即食的；速溶的；方便的- Do you want some coffee? Is instant OK?你想喝点咖啡吗？即时可以吗？
Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from Latin instant- ‘being at hand’, from the verb instare, from in- ‘in, at’ + stare ‘to stand’.