1IMMEDIATELYhappening or done at once and without delay 立刻的,即时的
Our immediate response to the attack was sheer horror.
我们对攻击的第一反应就是非常惊恐。
They promise immediate action to help the unemployed.
他们承诺立即采取行动帮助失业者。
If the eyes are affected, seek immediate medical attention.
如果眼睛感染了要立即就医。
2[only before noun]NOWexisting now, and needing to be dealt with quickly 目前的;当下的;紧迫的
Let’s try and solve the most immediate problem.
让我们尽力解决最急迫的问题吧。
There is an immediate danger of war.
战争迫在眉睫。
3[only before noun]AFTERBEFORE happening just before or just after someone or something else 最接近的;紧接的
The most immediate effect of retirement is a dramatic reduction in living standards.
退休的最直接影响是生活水准的大幅度下降。
He promised that there would be no tax increases in the immediate future.
他承诺短期内不会提高税收。
4[only before noun]NEAR next to, or very near to, a particular place 〔地方〕邻近的;紧邻的
It is a thriving shopping centre for the people who live in the immediate area.
这是一家为附近居民服务的生意兴隆的购物中心。
5.immediate familyFAMILYpeople who are very closely related to you, such as your parents, children, brothers, and sisters 直系亲属〔如父母、子女、兄弟姐妹等〕
Examples from the Corpus
immediate family• Cancerclaimed the lives of her parents and hit 14 of 17 people in her immediate family.• My own camp was wedged between the two branches of my immediate family.• Oh, and I should probably start with your immediate family.• She was not going out at all and was communicating very little with her immediate family.• She was respectfully requested to keep the fact he is on special assignment to herself and her immediate family.• Instead she joined her immediate family for a service at the privatechapel on the Althorp estate.• Her husband and her immediate family live in Moscow.• The brotherhood of man did not end with the immediate family of siblings at which it began.
immediate problem• Any threat to the vision in one eye is far more serious than the immediate problem.• But that doesn't solve the immediate problem.• I had a more immediate problem.• The actions to be described next are most effective in the here-and-now; they are designed to resolveimmediate problems.• Water, the most obvious and important resource, was not an immediate problem.• But JackMason had solved the immediate problem for me.• This is not an immediate problem in the hectic process of establishing the great new structure.• Mercury's immediate problem is getting the limitedLondon service working.
immediate effect• It advanced the use of shock to cure anything by scaring it out of your body, with immediate effect.• On Feb. 20 the Volkskammer approved a new electoral law to have immediate effect.• The most immediate effect of all this has been the announcement of increased mortgagerates.• The most immediate effect of his proposal would be to block gaming by the SaltRivertribe.• You need to determine whether the trend will extendbeyond the immediate effect of the earningsstatement.• The group said it was acting quickly because it feared that the new law would have an immediate effect on the Internet.• Indirect taxes can be varied more quickly and easily, taking more immediate effect, than can direct taxes.• This important volume, subsequently republished in parts, did not perhaps have the immediate effect that might have been expected.
immediate area• Easily Accessible: Downhayes is set in an area of small working farms with few public footpaths in the immediate area.• Sparta offers delivery in the immediate area.• The great majority of non-employees who commit crimes against business will live in the immediate area.• Try to think more positively about walks, and wake up to new opportunitiesoutside your immediate area.• Police evacuated the immediate area and began a meticuloussearch for other bombs after the second explosion.• The few burrows in this immediate area had never been allowed to develop fully.• Maureen searched the immediate area, hoping to find the missinglimb, but no luck.• Outside the immediate area of commercialization, however, another phenomenon appeared.
Originimmediate
(1300-1400)Late Latinimmediatus, from mediatus“in between, separated”
immediate ♦︎ instant ♦︎ prompt ♦︎ instantaneousThese words all describe sth that happens or is done without delay.这些词均表示立刻的、瞬间的。SYNONYM SCALE 词义标尺下图显示这些词所表达迅即的程度
prompt
➔
immediate
➔
instantaneous
instant
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆an immediate / an instant / a prompt / an instantaneous reaction / response / return◆immediate / instant / prompt action / attention / payment / relief◆an immediate / instant appeal / answer / solution / result / effect / impact / improvement◆an immediate / a prompt start / step◆almost immediate / instant / instantaneous■immediatehappening or done without delay立即的;立刻的◆Carrie's immediate reaction to the news was to laugh in relief.卡丽得知消息后立刻如释重负地笑了。◆Local police took immediate action when they received the bomb alert.当地警方接到炸弹警报后马上采取了行动。◆The cream brings immediate relief to dry and rough skin.这种护肤霜能立刻缓解皮肤的干燥粗糙。OPPdelayedⓘ A delayed reaction happens some time after the event that causes it. * delayed reaction指事件发生一段时间后才出现的反应◆She's suffering a delayed reaction to the shock.她正承受着冲击带来的滞后反应。▸immediately
adverb
◆She answered almost immediately.她几乎立刻就作出了回答。◆The point of my question may not be immediately apparent.我的问题的要点可能不是一看便知的。■instant [usually before noun] happening or done immediately立即的;立刻的◆She took an instant dislike to me, the first time we met.我们第一次见面时她立刻就讨厌我。◆This account gives you instant access to your money.这个账户能让你随时存取款项。◆The show was an instant success in New York.演出在纽约一炮打响。▸instantly
adverb
◆Her voice is instantly recognizable.她的声音一下子就能听出来。◆The driver of the car was killed instantly.汽车司机当场死亡。■promptdone without delay立即的;迅速的;及时的◆Prompt action was required as the fire spread.火势蔓延,必须立即采取行动。◆Prompt payment of the invoice would be appreciated.务请见发票即付款,我们将不胜感激。▸promptly
adverb
(especiallywritten) ◆She read the letter and promptly burst into tears.她一看信眼泪就夺眶而出。■instantaneous ˌɪnstənˈteɪniəs happening immediately立即的;立刻的;瞬间的◆Her instantaneous response was to blame her parents.她的第一反应是责怪父母。◆With certain poisons, death is almost instantaneous.有些毒药几乎可以瞬间致死。NOTE辨析 Immediate, instant, prompt or instantaneous?Prompt describes sth that you do; instantaneous describes sth that happens; immediate and instant can describe either, although instant is used more to describe sth that happens than sth that you do. Prompt action is not quite as fast as an action or reaction that is immediate, instant or instantaneous. Action can be very/fairly prompt but not◆very/fairly immediate/instant/instantaneousA reaction can be almost immediate/instant/instantaneous but not◆almost prompt. * prompt描述所做之事;instantaneous描述发生的事;immediate和instant描述这两种情况皆可,但instant较常描述发生的事。prompt所描述的行为不如immediate、instant和instantaneous迅速。描述行动时,very和fairly可以修饰prompt,但不能修饰immediate、instant和instantaneous。描述反应时,almost可以修饰immediate、instant和instantaneous,但不能修饰prompt。