Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: French
Origin: Latin momentum; MOMENTUM

moment

 noun
     
mo‧ment S1 W1 [countable]
1

point in time

a particular point in time:
It was one of the most exciting moments in his life.
at this/that moment (=used for emphasis)
Just at that moment there was a knock on the door.
She may be in trouble at this very moment and trying to call you.
I remember the moment when I first saw him after the operation.
Quinn always seems to be in the right place at the crucial moment.
I just this moment (=only a very short time ago) arrived and already Dan wants to know when I'm leaving.
At this moment in time it would be inappropriate to comment on the situation.
From that moment on (=after that time) we were the best of friends.
! Do not say in that moment when you mean 'at that particular time'. Say at that moment: At that moment, everything stopped.
2

short time

a very short period of time:
He was here a moment ago.
Can you spare a few moments to answer some questions?
in a moment (=very soon)
I'll come back to that point in a moment.
for a moment
It was quiet for a moment, then Rae spoke.
after a moment
'I don't understand,' said Louise after a moment.
A moment later we heard a splash.
wait/just a moment (=used when you want someone to wait a short time while you do or say something)
Just a moment; let me put these away first.
We have to be ready to leave at a moment's notice (=very quickly).
3

at the moment

British English especially spoken, American English formal now:
Julia's on holiday in Spain at the moment.
At the moment, the situation in Haiti is very tense.
4

for the moment

used to say that something is happening or is true now but will probably change in the future:
Well, for the moment we're just friends.
For the moment the rain had stopped.
5

the moment (that) somebody does something

as soon as someone does something:
He said he'd phone you the moment he got home.
6

the last moment

if you do something at the last moment or if something happens at the last moment, it happens at the last possible time
at the last moment
The operation was cancelled at the last moment.
She always leaves everything to the last moment.
7

(at) any moment

extremely soon:
The plumber should be here any moment now.
The roof could collapse at any moment.
8

opportunity

[usually singular] a particular time when you have a chance to do something:
His wife Denise was there to share his big moment (=opportunity to do something great).
choose/pick your moment (=try to choose the best time to do something)
He picked his moment carefully to tell them the news.
This was her moment and she knew she had to take it.
9

moment of madness/weakness/panic etc

a short period of time when you do not feel or behave as normal and often do or say something which you later wish you had not done or said
in a moment of something
In a moment of madness I agreed to go with him.
He experienced a brief moment of panic.
10

one moment ... the next/from one moment to the next

used to say that a situation changes very suddenly, often in a way which you do not expect or cannot explain:
One moment she's kissing me, the next she doesn't want to see me again.
You never know what's going to happen from one moment to the next.
11

not believe/think/do something for a/one moment

especially spoken used to say that you did not believe, expect etc something at all:
He didn't fool me for a moment.
She had never for one moment imagined that it could happen to her.
12

of the moment

the person, idea, word etc of the moment is the one that is most important or popular at the present time:
They interview personalities on a topic of the moment.
the mood of the moment
13

have its/your moments

to have periods of being good or interesting:
a movie that had its moments
14

not a moment too soon

almost too late:
The ambulance finally arrived, and not a moment too soon.
15

the moment of truth

the time when you will find out if something will work properly, be successful etc
16

of great moment

old-fashioned important
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
 
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