[moh-muh
n-tair-uh-lee, moh-muhn-ter-] 
| 1. | for a moment; briefly: to pause momentarily. |
| 2. | at any moment; imminently: expected to occur momentarily. |
| 3. | instantly. |
| mo·men·tar·i·ly (mō'mən-târ'ə-lē) adv.
Usage Note: Momentarily is widely used in speech to mean "in a moment," as in The manager is on another line, but she'll be with you momentarily. This usage rarely leads to ambiguity since the intended sense can usually be determined on the basis of the tense of the verb and the context. Nonetheless, many critics hold that the adverb should be reserved for the senses "for a moment," and the extended usage is unacceptable to 59 percent of the Usage Panel. |