Eternity vs Instant - What's the difference?
eternity | instant |
(uncountable) Existence without end, infinite time.
* 1829', , ''Sermon LVIII: On the '''Eternity of God'', in ''Sermons on Several Occasions , Volume 2, 10th edition,
* 1886 , , Systematic Theology: a Compendium and Commonplace-book Designed for the Use of Theological Students ,
* 2000 , , Human Nature in It's Fourfold State ,
(uncountable, philosophy) Existence outside of time.
* 1879 , (editor) ''Journal of Discourses , Volume 21,
(countable) A period of time which extends infinitely far into the future.
(metaphysical) The remainder of time that elapses after death.
(informal, hyperbole) A comparatively long time.
A very short period of time; a moment.
* She paused for only an instant , which was just enough time for John to change the subject.
A single, usually precise, point in time.
* The instant the alarm went off, he fled the building.
An instant beverage or food, especially instant coffee.
A day of the current month (abbreviated as : )
* In response to your letter of the twenty-first instant...
(dated) Impending; imminent.
* Prior
(dated) Urgent; pressing; acute.
* Bible, Rom. xii. 12
* Carlyle
Occurring immediately; immediate; present.
* Fuller
* {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
, title=
, chapter=2 Lasting for a short moment; momentary; short-lived.
Very quickly and easily prepared.
Of the current month (abbreviation inst.).
* “I refer to your letter of the 16th inst. in regard to traffic disruption”
(poetic) At once; immediately.
* 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , I.182:
As nouns the difference between eternity and instant
is that eternity is (uncountable) existence without end, infinite time while instant is a very short period of time; a moment.As an adjective instant is
(dated) impending; imminent.As an adverb instant is
(poetic) at once; immediately.eternity
English
Alternative forms
* (archaic) * (obsolete)Noun
page 1,
- Eternity' has generally been considered as divisible into two parts; which have been termed, '''eternity''' ''a parte ante'', and '''eternity''' ''a parte post'': that is, in plain English, that '''eternity''' which is past, and that ' eternity which is to come.
page 190,
- This theory regards creation as an act of God in eternity past.
page 247,
- Those who like not the company of the saints on earth will get none of it in eternity'; but, as godless company is their delight now, they will afterwards get enough of it, when they have ' eternity to pass in the roaring and blaspheming society of devils and reprobates in hell.
- We sometimes speak of eternity' in contradistinction to time; and often say, "through time and into '''eternity''';" and again "from '''eternity''' to '''eternity'''," which is simply another form of expressing the same idea, and "pass through time into '''eternity'''." in other words, time is a short period allotted to man in his probationary state—and we use the word time in contradistinction to the word ' eternity , merely for the accommodation of man in his finite sphere, that we may comprehend and learn to measure periods.
- It's been an eternity since we last saw each other.
Usage notes
* In the sense "a comparatively long time", eternity is always used with the indefinite article (an eternity ). * In philosophy, the common use of eternity' to refer to an infinite time is considered incorrect, ' eternity referring to existence outside of time; existence within time but of an infinite temporal duration is called everlastingness or sempiternitySynonyms
* (existence outside of time) extratemporal * (infinite time) all time * (time extending infinitely far into the future) evermore, forever * (remainder of time that elapses after death) afterlife * (comparatively long time) an age, ages, centuries, donkey's years, hours, a lifetime, years, yonksAntonyms
* (existence outside of time) sempiternityDerived terms
* eternity past * eternity futureAnagrams
* entiretyinstant
English
Alternative forms
* instaunt (obsolete)Etymology 1
From (etyl) . More at (l), (l).Noun
(en noun)Etymology 2
From (etyl) and (etyl) instant, from (etyl) ; see state.Adjective
(-)- Impending death is thine, and instant doom.
- Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.
- I am beginning to be very instant for some sort of occupation.
- The instant time is always the fittest time.
citation, passage=No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very strict ; he had often threatened any one of his employés with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts.}}
- instant coffee
Derived terms
* instantize, instantise * instantly * instant replayAdverb
(-)- He left the room for his relinquished sword, / And Julia instant to the closet flew.