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Momentum vs Momentarily - What's the difference?

momentum | momentarily |

As a noun momentum

is (of a body in motion) The tendency of a body to maintain its inertial motion; the product of its mass and velocity.

As an adverb momentarily is

in a momentary manner; for a moment or instant.

momentum

Noun

(en-noun)
  • (physics) (of a body in motion) The tendency of a body to maintain its inertial motion; the product of its mass and velocity.
  • The impetus, either of a body in motion, or of an idea or course of events. (i.e: a moment)
  • * 1843, Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Old Apple Dealer", in Mosses from an Old Manse
  • The travellers swarm forth from the cars. All are full of the momentum which they have caught from their mode of conveyance.
  • * 1882, Thomas Hardy, Two on a Tower
  • Their intention to become husband and wife, at first halting and timorous, had accumulated momentum with the lapse of hours, till it now bore down every obstacle in its course.
  • * '>citation
  • momentarily

    English

    Adverb

    (-)
  • In a momentary manner; for a moment or instant.
  • (US) In a moment or very soon; at any moment.
  • Progressively; moment by moment.
  • Usage notes

    * Many speakers object to the use of momentarily'' in the sense of “''in'' a moment” rather than “''for'' a moment”, since this is inconsistent with the meaning of (momentary);Just a Moment]”, by (William Safire), ''(New York Times),'' May 11, 1997''I Stand Corrected: More on Language,'' by William Safire [http://books.google.com/books?client=iceweasel-a&id=1fuhvj8icSsC&dq=momentarily&q=momentarily
  • search_anchor pp. 137–138, ] nonetheless, this use is quite common in North America, and is particularly associated with airlines, such as “we will be landing momentarily”.On language, by William Safire, 1980, [http://books.google.com/books?client=iceweasel-a&id=mrJZAAAAMAAJ&dq=momentarily&q=momentarily p. 9 In place of ''momentarily , many speakers prefer the terms (presently), (soon) or the phrase “in a moment”, for this sense of “in a moment”.
  • References