From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmomentmo‧ment /ˈməʊmənt $ ˈmoʊ-/ ●●● S1 W1 noun [countable] 1 point in timeTIME/AT A PARTICULAR TIMENOW 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. ► Don’t say ‘in that moment’ when you mean ‘at that particular time’. Say at that moment: At that moment, everything stopped.2 short timeSHORT 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).► see thesaurus at time3 → at the moment4 → for the moment5 → the moment (that) somebody does something6 → the last moment7 → (at) any moment8 opportunity [usually singular]CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY 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 etc10 → one moment ... the next/from one moment to the next11 → not believe/think/do something for a/one moment12 → of the moment13 → have its/your moments14 → be having a moment15 → not a moment too soon16 → the moment of truth17 → be/live in the moment18 → of great momentCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a particular point in timeadjectivesright/perfectI’m just waiting for the right moment to tell her.The moment is not quite right just yet.an opportune moment (=a good time to do something)I was waiting for an opportune moment to leave.a historic moment (=a moment that is important in history)The fall of the Berlin wall was a historic moment.a memorable momentThere have been many memorable moments in this year’s Olympics.the exact/precise momentHer stomach chose that precise moment to make a loud noise.the very moment (=used for emphasizing that something happened at a particular time)I could tell something was wrong from the very moment I walked in through the front door.the present moment (=now)At the present moment, there are 500 students at the school.an important momentThis was probably the most important moment in his life.a critical/crucial moment (=a very important moment)This was a critical moment in the country’s history.a defining moment (=something that shows the real character or purpose of something)The win was a defining moment in the boxer’s career.somebody’s finest moment (=when someone was most successful or admired)The performance was one of the band’s finest moments.somebody’s proudest moment (=when someone did the thing they are most proud of)My proudest moment was when my daughter was born.the worst momentStanding on the edge waiting to do your bungee jump is the worst moment.verbscapture the moment (=to take a picture, describe something etc that will remind you of a particular time)They captured the moment on film.enjoy the momentShe found herself laughing with him, enjoying the moment.savour the moment (=enjoy the moment)He seemed to savour every moment of their conversation.relive the moment (=experience something again by thinking about it, talking about it etc)In court she had to relive the moment her son was murdered.choose a moment to do something (=do something at a particular time)She always seemed to choose the worst moment to interrupt his thoughts.dread a moment (=feel anxious or worried about something that will happen)She was dreading the moment when she would have to fire him. phrasesjust this/that moment (=only a very short time ago)I had just that moment arrived.at this moment in time (=now)At this moment in time we cannot proceed with the proposal.from that moment on (=after that time)From that moment on I saw very little of Dean.moment to moment/moment by moment (=used for emphasizing that something changes quickly)The colours of the sunset changed moment to moment.every waking moment (=all the time you are awake)He spent every waking moment in the lab.at a given moment (=at any particular time)There was no variety at all - you knew exactly what you would be doing at any given moment of the week. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a very short period of timeverbstake a moment (=use a short time)Coleman took a moment to reply.have a moment (=have a short time to use)Can you come and see me when you have a moment?wait a momentWait a moment while I get my coat.pause a moment (=stop speaking or doing something for a short time)Lisa paused a moment, then said ‘yes’.hesitate a moment (=not speak or do something for a short time because you are unsure of what to say or do)Paul hesitated a moment then followed her.spare a moment (=used when asking someone if they have a short time available to spend with you)Can you spare a moment to go through some figures with me?phrasesjust a moment (=used when telling someone to wait)Just a moment, I’ll go and get her.at a moment’s notice (=very quickly)Fire fighters need to be able to get ready at a moment’s notice.a moment agoI saw him outside just a moment ago.there’s never a dull moment (=something is always exciting or full of activity)There’s never a dull moment with Chris around!adjectivesa brief momentFor a brief moment, he looked directly at her.a fleeting moment (=a very short time)For a fleeting moment she wanted to run away.a long momentHe was silent for a long moment before replying.a spare moment (=short period of time when you are not doing other things)She spent every spare moment in the library.
Examples from the Corpus
moment• He stood for a moment, rubbing his chin.• He was here a moment ago.• The speeder froze in mid-air for just a moment, while its computers coped with the sudden assault on the automatic systems.• There had been moments of significance but no possibility for overall meaning.• Can you spare a few moments to answer some questions?• I was just waiting for the right moment to tell her.• But when you do, it's a sweet, sweet moment.• At the moment I show, the beam is emanating westward.• When the moment came he took it and he took it well.• But these moments did not seem to lose the play's tension.• When it erupts at the wrong moment, it can signal severe illness.at this/that moment• Guys, do you know how happy I am at this moment?• Angrily she opened her mouth to protest but at that moment the door opened and David appeared.• Dada was overcome by natural embarrassment on meeting his daughter at that moment.• Even at this moment brother Mycroft will be early at his desk in the Foreign Office, soothing agitated ministers.• He seemed big and rugged - more like a logger than a hotel executive at this moment.• The one occasion which was flashing through Yanto's mind at this moment involved just three of the local water babies.• If she'd had the power at that moment she would have reached out and crushed him into the carpet.• It was no good; reading at this moment in time was the last thing she felt like.a moment ago• I saw him a moment ago.• Judge Mumphrey, who entered only a moment ago, is getting settled on the bench.• Recovering slightly from the terror of a moment ago, he wondered whether he dared pick up the skull.• Surely he hadn't been using that tone with her a moment ago?• The warmth of a moment ago that had so overwhelmed her had cooled to a more familiar glint of contempt.• These funds are only one element of the package of extra resources for students which I mentioned a moment ago.• We passed the boundary with Ontario a moment ago.• Who would ever guess from the benign expression on his face that just a moment ago he had been exploding with anger?big moment• And, yes, it is a big moment.• It was still a big moment for everyone.• Molinari has had a run of big moments in her meteoric political career, and this latest is fittingly pyrotechnic.• Klepner's big moment had arrived and the ex-Harvard Business School man strode confidently to the podium.• It was Tara's big moment ; she breathed deeply and began to play.• He was delighted to know I came for the big moment in your career.• Finally, there is the big moment.• A professional photographer really gets down to it ... The big moment arrives and everything is a spectacular success.• Maybe they knew this was their big moment, their chance to make history.Origin moment (1300-1400) French Latin momentum; → MOMENTUM 