- a very short period of time
- Could you wait a moment, please?
- One moment, please (= Please wait a short time).
- for a moment He thought for a moment before replying.
- For one brief moment I thought, ‘I can handle this.’
- in a moment I'll be back in a moment.
- Have you got a moment?
- This won't take a moment.
- We arrived not a moment too soon (= almost too late).
- Moments later (= a very short time later), I heard a terrible crash.
Extra ExamplesTopics Timea1- A moment later, the ceiling fell in.
- After a moment we followed him.
- Could you look through this report when you have a spare moment?
- Could you wait a few moments?
- He was here just a moment ago.
- I can only spare you a moment, I'm afraid—I'm terribly busy.
- I couldn't stand it a moment longer.
- I spent a few moments thinking what I was going to say.
- I stood there for a moment or two.
- She paused a moment to reflect.
- The feeling only lasted a moment.
- There was a moment of silence.
- in her rare moments of leisure
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brief
- fleeting
- passing
- …
- last
- take
- hesitate (for)
- …
- arrive
- come
- occur
- …
- after a/the moment
- at a/the moment
- for a/the moment
- …
- at a given moment
- at any given moment
- every waking moment
- …
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- [singular] an exact point in time
- at the moment We're busy at the moment (= now).
- At that very moment, the phone rang.
- You need to be aware of what you are doing at any given moment.
- in a moment of something I agreed in a moment of weakness.
- From that moment on From that moment on, she never felt really well again.
Extra Examples- at the moment of death
- I dread the moment when she finds out.
- She let the news slip by mistake, in an unguarded moment.
- At the present moment, we do not have a choice.
- For one heart-stopping moment, we thought she was going to fall.
- I loved her from the first moment I met her.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brief
- fleeting
- passing
- …
- last
- take
- hesitate (for)
- …
- arrive
- come
- occur
- …
- after a/the moment
- at a/the moment
- for a/the moment
- …
- at a given moment
- at any given moment
- every waking moment
- …
- [countable] a good time for doing something; an opportunity
- I'm waiting for the right moment to tell him the bad news.
- Have I caught you at a bad moment?
Extra Examples- I haven't finished. I'm still waiting for a quiet moment.
- We have reached a critical moment in the negotiations.
- I don't think this is the right moment to ask for a bonus.
- I didn't want to screw up my big moment.
- The moment had finally come to make a move.
- He opened his mouth to say he loved her, but the moment passed.
- He's in a bad mood today—you need to choose your moment carefully.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brief
- fleeting
- passing
- …
- last
- take
- hesitate (for)
- …
- arrive
- come
- occur
- …
- after a/the moment
- at a/the moment
- for a/the moment
- …
- at a given moment
- at any given moment
- every waking moment
- …
- [countable] a particular time in somebody's life, or in the course of an event or the development of something
- That was one of the happiest moments of my life.
- Her finest moment came when she won Wimbledon.
- The film has many memorable moments.
- a great moment in the country's history
- This referendum is a defining moment for our nation.
- I managed to capture the moment on film.
- Enjoy your moment of fame!
Extra Examples- Victory was sweet, and he wanted to savour every moment.
- Afterwards she relived every moment in her head.
- It was the proudest moment of my entire life.
- I treasure the moments we spent together.
- That was a bad moment in my life.
- They were making the most of those last precious moments together.
- This is one of the book's funniest moments.
Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin momentum, from movimentum, from movere ‘to move’.
Idioms
See moment in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee moment in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English(at) any moment (now)
- very soon
- Hurry up! He'll be back any moment now.
- He might wake up at any moment.
at short notice | at a moment’s notice
(North American English also on short notice)
- not long in advance; without warning or time for preparation
- This was the best room we could get at such short notice.
- You must be ready to leave at a moment's notice.
Extra Examples- It's the best we can do at such short notice.
- The team is ready to go anywhere in the world at a moment's notice.
at this moment in time
- (informal) now, at the present time
- At this moment in time, I don't know what my decision will be.
be having a moment (informal)
- to be popular for a short time (used about something that is not usually popular)
- The previously unfashionable Tyrol is currently having a moment.
- Classic '70s hairstyles are having a moment once more.
- (of a person) to not act normally for a short time, for example when you forget where you are or what you are doing
- Sorry, I was just having a moment. What time is it?
- (of two people) to have a short argument or romantic exchange
- Oh, sorry—were you two having a moment?
for the moment/present
- for now; for a short time
- This house is big enough for the moment, but we'll have to move if we have children.
have its/your moments
- to have short times that are better, more interesting, etc. than others
- The job isn't exciting all the time, but it has its moments.
- I found the play rather boring, but it had its moments.
in the moment
- completely mentally involved in what you are doing or experiencing
- The time goes so quickly—you just have to remember to stay in the moment.
just a minute/moment/second
- (informal) used to ask somebody to wait for a short time
- ‘Is Mr Burns available?’ ‘Just a second, please—I'll check.’
the last minute/moment
- the latest possible time before an important event
- They changed the plans at the last minute.
- Don't leave your decision to the last moment.
Extra Examples- Don't leave everything till the last minute.
- Why do you leave it until the last possible moment before getting ready to leave?
the (very) moment (that)…
- as soon as…
- I want to see him the moment he arrives.
- The moment she walked through the door I thought she looked different.
- I felt at home here from the very moment I arrived.
the moment of truth
- a time when somebody/something is tested, or when important decisions are made
- The moment of truth is when the trainee pilots take over the controls of the plane.
not for a/one moment
- certainly not; not at all
- I don't think for a moment that she'll accept but you can ask her.
of moment
- very important
- matters of great moment
of the moment
- (of a person, a job, an issue, etc.) famous, important and talked about a lot now
- She's the fashion designer of the moment.
on the spur of the moment
- suddenly, without planning in advance
- I phoned him up on the spur of the moment.
- a spur-of-the-moment decision
the psychological moment
- the best time to do something in order for it to be successful
- The trick is in finding the (right) psychological moment to ask him for more money.
wait a moment/minute/second
- to wait for a short time
- Can you wait a moment while I make a call?
- Hey! Wait a minute! I'll come with you!
- used when you have just noticed or remembered something, or had a sudden idea
- Wait a moment—this isn't the right key.
Check pronunciation:
moment