moment

Forms

1.A particular point, or relatively small region.
- I'm living in Kunming at the moment.
- Where are you at the moment?
2.A brief, unspecified amount of time.
- Wait a moment, while I lock the front door.
- Sophia broke down here. Even at this moment she was subconsciously comparing her rendering of the part of the forlorn bride with Miss Marie Lohr's.
- Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps,[…], and the light of the reflector fell full upon her.
3.Weight or importance.
- In deep designs, in matter of great moment, / No less importing than our general good.
- As to any suggestion that Stroudley's engines were not free-running at high speed, this was of little moment with 60 m.p.h. laid down as the limit at that time.
- The document in question is of such immense importance that its publication might very easily – I might almost say probably – lead to European complications of the utmost moment.
4.Ellipsis of moment of force.
- I'm living in Kunming at the moment.
- Where are you at the moment?

Very common· #393

From Middle English moment, from Old French moment, from Latin mōmentum.

Doublet of momentum and movement.