Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: MATHS

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: Medieval Latin minuta, from pars minuta prima 'first small part, one sixtieth of a unit', from Latin minutus; MINUTE2

minute

1 noun
     
min‧ute1 S1 W1 [countable]
1

time

TMHM a unit for measuring time. There are 60 minutes in one hour:
It takes me ten minutes to walk to work.
The train arrived at four minutes past eight.
He returned a few minutes later.
I'll meet you at the car in five minutes.
2

the last minute

the last possible time, just before it is too late
at the last minute
He cancelled his trip to England at the last minute.
until the last minute
If you leave your essay until the last minute, you'll almost certainly panic.
➔ last-minute
3

by the minute

also every minute, minute by minute used to say that something continues quickly becoming greater, stronger etc:
She was getting angrier by the minute.
His voice was getting stronger every minute.
4

love/enjoy/hate etc every minute (of something)

informal if you love, enjoy etc every minute of an activity or experience, you love, enjoy etc all of it:
I went camping for a week and enjoyed every minute of it.
5

within minutes

very soon after something has happened:
The ambulance was there within minutes.
within minutes of doing something
He had his car stolen within minutes of arriving at the office.
6

a minute

TMC a very short period of time [= moment]:
Sam thought for a minute, then smiled at his brother.
Can I have a word? It will only take a minute.
7 spoken

in a minute

PMN very soon:
Wait here. I'll be back in a minute.
Mr Gregson will be with you in a minute.
8 spoken

wait a minute/just a minute/hold on a minute/hang on a minute

a) used to tell someone you want them to wait for a short time while you do or say something else:
Just a minute, Margaret, I want to introduce you to Betty.
Wait a minute, let me see if I understand this correctly.
b) used to tell someone to stop speaking or doing something for a short time because they have said or done something wrong:
Hold on a minute! That can't be right.
9 spoken

(at) any minute (now)

used to say that something will or may happen extremely soon:
We're expecting them any minute now.
10 spoken

have you got a minute?

British English do you have a minute? American English used to ask someone if you may talk to them for a short time:
Have you got a minute ? I need to ask you some questions.
11 spoken

the minute (that) somebody does something

as soon as someone does something:
Tell him I need to see him the minute he arrives.
12 spoken

not think/believe/etc for one minute

used to say that you certainly do not think something, believe something etc:
I don't think for one minute that he'll do it but I have to ask.
13 spoken

this minute

immediately:
Johnny! Get inside, this minute!
You don't have to tell me right this minute.
14

the next minute

immediately afterwards:
I put down the phone and the next minute it rang again.
15

one minute ... the next (minute) ...

used to say that a situation suddenly changes:
One minute they're madly in love and the next they've split up again.
16

meeting

minutes

[plural] an official written record of what is said and decided at a meeting:
Will you take the minutes (=write them down)?
minutes of
Has everyone seen the minutes of last month's meeting?
17HM

mathematics

technical one of the sixty parts into which a degree of an angle is divided. It can be shown as a symbol after a number. For example, 78º 52' means 78 degrees 52 minutes. ➔ up-to-the-minute
Definition of minute from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic MATHS
Word of the Day
The MATHS
Word of the Day is:
quadrant

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