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Instant vs Ready - What's the difference?

instant | ready | Related terms |

Instant is a related term of ready.


As nouns the difference between instant and ready

is that instant is a very short period of time; a moment while ready is (slang) ready money; cash.

As adjectives the difference between instant and ready

is that instant is (dated) impending; imminent while ready is prepared for immediate action or use.

As an adverb instant

is (poetic) at once; immediately.

As a verb ready is

to make prepared for action.

instant

English

Alternative forms

* instaunt (obsolete)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) . More at (l), (l).

Noun

(en noun)
  • 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...

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) and (etyl) instant, from (etyl) ; see state.

    Adjective

    (-)
  • (dated) Impending; imminent.
  • * Prior
    • Impending death is thine, and instant doom.
  • (dated) Urgent; pressing; acute.
  • * Bible, Rom. xii. 12
    • Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.
  • * Carlyle
    • I am beginning to be very instant for some sort of occupation.
  • Occurring immediately; immediate; present.
  • * Fuller
    • The instant time is always the fittest time.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
    • , title= , chapter=2 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.}}
  • Lasting for a short moment; momentary; short-lived.
  • Very quickly and easily prepared.
    • instant coffee
  • Of the current month (abbreviation inst.).
  • * “I refer to your letter of the 16th inst. in regard to traffic disruption”
    • Derived terms
    * instantize, instantise * instantly * instant replay
    Related terms
    * instakill * instance

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (poetic) At once; immediately.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , I.182:
    • He left the room for his relinquished sword, / And Julia instant to the closet flew.

    Related terms

    * inst * instance * instancy * instantaneous * instantaneously * instanter * instantial * instantiate * instantly

    Statistics

    * ----

    ready

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Prepared for immediate action or use.
  • :
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:If need be, I am ready to forego / And quit.
  • *(Henry Fielding) (1707-1754)
  • *:Dinner was ready .
  • Inclined; apt to happen.
  • Liable at any moment.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • *:My heart is ready to crack.
  • Not slow or hesitating; quick in action or perception of any kind; dexterous; prompt; easy; expert.
  • :
  • *Sir (Walter Scott) (1771-1832)
  • *:whose temper was ready , through surly
  • * (1800-1859)
  • *:ready in devising expedients
  • *
  • *:Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust. Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist), author=Lexington
    • , title= Keeping the mighty honest , passage=The [Washington] Post's proprietor through those turbulent [Watergate] days, Katharine Graham, held a double place in Washington’s hierarchy: at once regal Georgetown hostess and scrappy newshound, ready to hold the establishment to account.}}
  • Offering itself at once; at hand; opportune; convenient.
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:the readiest way
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:A sapling pine he wrenched from out the ground, / The readiest weapon that his fury found.

    • Synonyms

    * good to go

    Verb

  • To make prepared for action.

    • Derived terms

    * at the ready * cable ready * camera-ready * make-ready * on the ready * oven-ready * * readiness * ready-made * ready money * ready or not * ready reckoner * ready room * * * ready to hand * ready-to-wear * * rough and ready

    Related terms

    * (l)

    Noun

  • (slang) ready money; cash
  • * Arbuthnot
    • Lord Strut was not flush in ready , either to go to law, or to clear old debts.

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * (l) * (l) * (l) 1000 English basic words