Mawson, C.O.S., ed. (1870–1938). Roget’s International Thesaurus. 1922.
Class I. Words Expressing Abstract Relations
Section VI. Time
1. Absolute Time
113. [Point of Time.] Instantaneity.
NOUN:
INSTANTANEITY, instantaneousness; suddenness, abruptness.
MOMENT, instant, second, minute; twinkling, flash, breath, crack, jiffy [colloq.], coup [F.], burst, flash of lightning, stroke of time.
TIME; epoch, time of day, time of night; hour, minute; very minute &c., very time, very hour; present time, right time, true time, exact time, correct time.
VERB:
BE INSTANTANEOUS &c. adj.; twinkle, flash.
ADJECTIVE:
INSTANTANEOUS, momentary, extempore, sudden, instant, abrupt; subitaneous [obs.], hasty; quick as thought,1 quick as lightning; rapid as electricity.
ADVERB:
INSTANTANEOUSLY &c. adj.; in no time, in less than no time; presto, subito [It. and L.], instanter, forthright [archaic], eftsoon or eftsoons [archaic], in a trice, in a jiffy [colloq.], suddenly, at a stroke, like a shot; in a moment &c. n.; in the twinkling of an eye, in the twinkling of a bedpost [humorous]; in one’s tracks; right away; toute à l’ heure [F.]; at one jump, in the same breath, per saltum [L.], uno saltu [L.]; at once, all at once; plump, slap [colloq.]; “at one fell swoop” [Macbeth]; at the same instant &c. n.; immediately (early) [See Earliness]; extempore, on the moment, on the spot, on the dot [colloq.], on the spur of the moment; just then; slapdash (haste) [See Haste].
QUOTATIONS:
Touch and go.
No sooner said than done.
We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.—Bible
