Dictionary

immediate en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ɪˈmiː.d͡ʒɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ɪˈmiːdi.ɪt/ (Australia)
• /ɪˈmi.di.ət/ (Canada, General-American)
• /ɪˈmi.di.ɪt/ (Canada, General-American)
• /ɪˈmiː.dɪət/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Old French immediat (French immédiat), borrowed from Late Latin immediātus (“without in-between, moderation”), from Latin in + mediātus, perfect passive participle of mediō (“to halve, to be in the middle”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from medius (“middle”). By surface analysis, im- + mediate.

Meanings

1. Happening right away, instantly, with no delay.
   • Computer users these days expect immediate results when they click on a link.
   • When Timothy and Julia hurried up the staircase to the bedroom floor, where a considerable commotion was taking place, Tim took Barry Leach with him. He had him gripped firmly by the arm, since he felt it was not safe to let him loose, and he had no immediate idea what to do with him. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
   • Assemble we immediate council. c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
2. Very close; direct or adjacent.
   • So long as he concerns himself with immediate issues he is rewarded with influence, material success, and popularity with those who up to a point share his general outlook. 1949, F. A. Hayek, “The Intellectuals and Socialism”, in University of Chicago Law Review, volume 16, number 3, Chicago: University of Chicago, →DOI, page 429:
   • You are the most immediate to our throne, c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
   • immediate family; immediate vicinity
3. Manifestly true; requiring no argument.
4. (of an instruction operand) Embedded as part of the instruction itself, rather than stored elsewhere (such as a register or memory location).
5. (qualifier:procedure word) Used to denote that a transmission is urgent.
   • Bravo Three, this Bravo Six. Immediate! We are coming under fire from the north from an unknown enemy, over!
6. (qualifier:procedure word) An artillery fire mission modifier for two types of fire mission to denote an immediate need for fire: Immediate smoke, all guns involved must reload smoke and fire. Immediate suppression, all guns involved fire the rounds currently loaded and then switch to high explosive with impact fused (unless fuses are specified).
   • Hotel Two-Niner, this is Bravo Six. Immediate suppression at grid November-Kilo four-five-three two-one-five. Danger Close. I authenticate Golf Echo, over.

Forms

Deriveds

nonimmediate · immediate pursuit · immediate real-time · immediate family · unimmediate · immediately · immediative · immediate annuity · immediateness · immediate mode · immediatism · immediatist

Relateds

immediacy

Synonyms

nearby · self-evident (manifestly true) · present · close (very close) · indubitable (manifestly true) · instant (happening right away)

Translations (77)

fr immédiat (very close) · nl onmiddellijk (without delay) · es inmediato (without delay) · ca immediat (without delay) · nb nærmeste (very close) · mi whawhati tata (without delay) · it prossimo (very close) · uk безпосере́дній (very close) · ccc kapaletsi'ta (without delay) · bg непосре́дствен (very close) · hi ठीक (very close) · pl natychmiastowy (without delay) · km ភ្លាម (without delay) · gd grad (without delay) · uk найбли́жчий (very close) · fr immédiat (without delay) · it diretto (very close) · ja 即時の (without delay) · yi באַלדיק (without delay) · ru непосре́дственный (very close) · gl inmediato (without delay) · de immediat (very close) · pt imediato (without delay) · pt imediato (very close) · it immediato (without delay) · be неадкла́дны (without delay) · ur فوری (without delay) · te తక్షణ (without delay) · tl mabilis (without delay) · sv omedelbar (very close) · bg незаба́вен (without delay) · ru окре́стный (very close) · ar فَوْرِيّ (without delay) · pl bezpośredni (without delay) · bg пряк (very close) · nb øyeblikkelig (without delay) · pl doraźny (without delay) · it immediato (very close) · uk безпосере́дній (without delay) · ko 즉시 (without delay) · be беспасярэ́дні (very close) · fa آنی (without delay) · fi lähin (very close) · da øjeblikkelig (without delay) · es inmediato (very close) · ru ближа́йший (very close) · nb umiddelbar (without delay) · da tæt (very close) · vi ngay lập tức (without delay) · eo tuja (without delay) · be непасрэ́дны (very close) · fa بلافاصله (without delay) · ro imediat (without delay) · cs bezprostřední (very close) · uk нега́йний (without delay) · fa نزدیک (very close) · cmn 即時 /即时 (without delay) · ru неме́дленный (without delay) · da umiddelbar (very close) · de sofortig (without delay) · sv omedelbar (without delay) · ru бли́зкий (very close) · nb med det samme (without delay) · fr proche (very close) · tl madali (without delay) · nl direct (without delay) · it stretto (very close) · cs okamžitý (without delay) · fi välitön (without delay) · de unmittelbar (very close) · pl momentalny (without delay) · sv ögonblicklig (without delay) · pl niezwłoczny (without delay) · el άμεσος (without delay) · nb omgående (without delay) · ca pròxim (very close) · pl bezzwłoczny (without delay)