[in-stan-ter] 
| immediately; at once. |
[in-stuh
nt] | 1. | an infinitesimal or very short space of time; a moment: They arrived not an instant too soon. |
| 2. | the point of time now present or present with reference to some action or event. |
| 3. | a particular moment: at the instant of contact. |
| 4. | a food or beverage, esp. coffee, specially processed for quick preparation. |
| 5. | Older Use. the present or current month. |
| 6. | succeeding without any interval of time; prompt; immediate: instant relief from a headache. |
| 7. | pressing or urgent: instant need. |
| 8. | noting a food or beverage requiring a minimal amount of time and effort to prepare, as by heating or the addition of milk or water, before being served or used: instant coffee; instant pudding. |
| 9. | occurring, done, or prepared with a minimal amount of time and effort; produced rapidly and with little preparation: an instant book; instant answers; instant history. |
| 10. | designed to act or produce results quickly or immediately: an instant lottery. |
| 11. | Older Use. of the present month: your letter of the 12th instant. Abbreviation: inst. Compare proximo, ultimo. |
| 12. | present; current: the instant case before the court. |
| 13. | instantly. |
| in·stan·ter (ĭn-stān'tər) adv. Without delay; instantly. [Medieval Latin, from Latin, urgently, from īnstāns, īnstant-, present; see instant.] |