3at the momentBritish EnglishBrE especially spoken, American EnglishAmE formal now 此刻,目前,眼下
Julia’s on holiday in Spain at the moment.
朱莉娅目前在西班牙度假。
At the moment, the situation in Haiti is very tense.
眼下,海地局势十分紧张。
Examples from the Corpus
at the moment• At the moment, the county is doing nothing with the propertysouth of town.• He missedJosh terribly, but knew there was no way of winning back his affectionsat the moment.• We're really busyat the moment.• She says that everyone dreams of winning a medal, but at the moment she is just hoping to get there.• And the right price for Rod's Lamborghini at the moment is £40,000.• It is said that birds began to pairat the moment of his death.• Her primary problem at the moment is tendinitis in her left wrist.• That means we put ourselves completely into the feeling in question; at the moment it occurs, that feeling is us.• Republicans, at the moment, hold 41 seats while Democrats have 37.• Asthings stand at the moment, 70 years have to elapse before they can be inspected.
4for the momentused to say that something is happening or is true now but will probably change in the future 暂时;目前
Well, for the moment we’re just friends.
嗯,我们目前只是朋友而已。
For the moment the rain had stopped.
雨暂时停了。
Examples from the Corpus
for the moment• For the moment the city seems quiet, but the fighting could start again at any time.• For the moment, we will ignore the question of whether the costs are reasonable.• He himself had other plans, although for the moment he was keeping them fairly close to his chest.• Organisationally, the investigation was under control and for the moment the focal point was Farnborough.• He could pleasefolk when he wanted to, and for the moment he did.• Leave aside, for the moment, the question of whether it was justified in principle.• Assumingfor the moment that you did get the job, where would you live?• But for the moment we shall look only at the last two of these vastsubjects.• Anything that is done for shockvalue has no future because it's done for the moment.• "How's your apartment?" "It's finefor the moment, but I'd rather live nearertown."• Specialprovisionsapply to the NationalCoal Board's operations, which can be ignored for the moment.• You hold on to those for the moment.
5the moment (that) somebody does somethingIMMEDIATELYas soon as someone does something 某人一做某事就…
He said he’d phone you the moment he got home.
他说他一到家就给你打电话。
Examples from the Corpus
the moment (that) somebody does something• Been getting hold of a bit of meth, but it's fairly hard to come by at the moment.• Does it enable them to make the rightchoice in the heat of the moment?• In the heat of the moment it does not usually look as if there is anything to be done about the heat.
6the last momentLASTif you do something at the last moment or if something happens at the last moment, it happens at the last possible time 最后一刻
at the last moment
The operation was cancelled at the last moment.
这次行动在最后一刻被取消了。
She always leaves everything to the last moment.
她总是什么事情都要拖到最后一刻才做。
Examples from the Corpus
the last moment• In Madrid Casado triumphed and at the last momentCommunist power was broken.• I took the can carefully away at the last moment.• We keep getting ready to go to oh all sorts of places - but at the last moment something always comes up.• But at the last momentcouragefailed them.• I was hoping to hit him, but he dove clear at the last moment.• At the last moment he saw an applelying on the dresser and put it in his pocket.• At the last moment, I looked up at the sky.
7(at) any momentSOONextremely soon 马上,立刻
The plumber should be here any moment now.
管子工应该马上就到。
The roof could collapse at any moment.
屋顶随时都会塌下来。
Examples from the Corpus
(at) any moment• They went about their business, expecting him to appear at any moment.• Daylight began to fail early, but still we pressed on, knowing that Donald could make an appearance at any moment.• Her eyes could fly open at any moment, he thinks, and look objectively at him.• The armytaught us to fly the machine as if the engine would quit at any moment.• On the first occasionBunny was tactful, assuring him she would be sent home in a taxi at any moment.• It was all the harder because I could have given up at any moment.• At any moment the currentspotexchangerate is the anticipated spot exchange rate discounted to the present.• If, for any moment, it overwhelms him that he stands just off-center of it all.
8opportunity 机会 [usually singular]CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY a particular time when you have a chance to do something 时机,机会
His wife Denise was there to share his big moment (=opportunity to do something great).
他的妻子丹尼丝也到场和他一起分享他的这个重要时刻。
choose/pick your moment (=try to choose the best time to do something) 挑选时机
He picked his moment carefully to tell them the news.
他小心地找了个机会告诉他们这个消息。
This was her moment and she knew she had to take it.
她的机会来了,她知道必须抓住它。
9moment of madness/weakness/panic etca short period of time when you do not feel or behave as normal and often do or say something which you later wish you had not done or said 一时疯狂/软弱/惊慌等
in a moment of something
In a moment of madness I agreed to go with him.
我一时糊涂,同意和他一起去。
He experienced a brief moment of panic.
他一时间感到惊慌。
Examples from the Corpus
moment of madness/weakness/panic etc• She rang the doorbell, listened to the silence within and felt a moment of panic.• I had a moment of panic.• What mattered was that one of the legs had been used by the gang in a moment of panic.• He caught me in a moment of weakness.• In a moment of madness Rosenoir kicked Alan Kernaghan as he lay on the ground.• In a moment of weakness the President had accepted the invitation.• It was a moment of madness.
10one moment ... the next/from one moment to the nextused to say that a situation changes very suddenly, often in a way which you do not expect or cannot explain 一会儿…过一会儿/紧接着〔表示形势变化之快出乎意料或无法解释〕
One moment she’s kissing me, the next she doesn’t want to see me again.
她一会儿亲我,一会儿又不想再见到我了。
You never know what’s going to happen from one moment to the next.
你永远不知道接下来还会发生什么事。
11not believe/think/do something for a/one momentespecially spokenDON'T THINK SO/DOUBT IT used to say that you did not believe, expect etc something at all 根本不相信/没想到/没做某事
He didn’t fool me for a moment.
他根本骗不了我。
She had never for one moment imagined that it could happen to her.
她压根儿没想到这事会发生在自己身上。
Examples from the Corpus
not believe/think/do something for a/one moment• His leader did not believe for one moment the protestations of innocence.• I do not concede for a moment that this is a devolutionmeasure.• His hand had not wavered for a moment.• Neither team will half-step, not even for a moment.• I would not suggest for one moment that they existed here.
12of the momentNOWthe person, idea, word etc of the moment is the one that is most important or popular at the present time 〔人、观念、词语等〕当前最重要[时兴]的
They interview personalities on a topic of the moment.
他们就时下的一个热门话题采访一些名人。
the mood of the moment
时下的主导气氛
Examples from the Corpus
of the moment• Unlikebandsof the moment, their work endures.• It's just the heatof the moment.• In other words, whatever the child is doing represents his interest of the moment.• She kept clean by washing in sand, and buried her stools well away from her nestof the moment.• They were like two children, who think only of the moment.• His plan of the moment was unknown to the Federals, but they had a pretty good idea of his generalintentions.• But mistakes and inadequacies could not be fixed there, in the rushof the moment.• Their run for the title may be too late, but they are the red-hot team of the moment.
13have its/your momentsINTERESTINGto have periods of being good or interesting 有好[有趣]的时候
a movie that had its moments
一部颇有看点的电影
Examples from the Corpus
have its/your moments• Even a railwayjourney with a missedconnection can have its moments.• Those observations made, it should be said that the Herioter did have his moments in the lineout.• Yet, the show does have its moments.• But I can assure you I have my moments.• Because, Ishmael says, all men have their moments of greatness.• The Saints had their moments, but they still lost.
n14be having a momentinformal to be having a time of success or popularity – used especially in magazines
Short hairstyles are having a moment.
15not a moment too soonON TIMEalmost too late 几乎太迟,差点就来不及
The ambulance finally arrived, and not a moment too soon.
救护车终于到了,但险些误事。
Examples from the Corpus
not a moment too soon• "Dinner's ready." "And not a moment too soon!"• The ambulance finally arrived, not a moment too soon.• It was not a moment too soon.
16.the moment of truthFIND OUTthe time when you will find out if something will work properly, be successful etc 〔接受检验、成败见分晓等的〕关键时刻,紧要关头
Examples from the Corpus
the moment of truth• The moment of truth came when I tasted the sauce.• However, after a few weeks, cinemaaudiencesdropped dramatically and the moment of trutharrived.• An interesting study, this, of the varyingtechniques with which different men approachedthe moment of truth.• It has become conscious of its history, and is approaching the moment of truth.• They felt sure that at the moment of truth in the pollingbooth most voters will consider their wallets.• This is the moment of truth for the Lions the six build-upprovincial games can be forgotten.• A-level students reachthe moment of truth.• And so the moment of truth.• Is this the moment of truth, he wrote, or the greatest temptation?
n17.be/live in the momentto give your fullattention to the situation you are in, and not think about the past or the future
18.of great momentold-fashionedIMPORTANTimportant 重要的
Examples from the Corpus
of great moment• Barry is a good writer, even when he is not writing about things of great moment.
nCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a particular point in time
adjectives
right/perfect
I’m just waiting for the right moment to tell her.
The moment is not quite right just yet.
an opportune moment (=a good time to do something)
I was waiting for an opportune moment to leave.
a historic moment (=a moment that is important in history)
The fall of the Berlin wall was a historic moment.
a memorable moment
There have been many memorable moments in this year’s Olympics.
the exact/precise moment
Her stomach chose that precise moment to make a loud noise.
the very moment (=used for emphasizing that something happened at a particular time)
I could tell something was wrong from the very moment I walked in through the front door.
the present moment (=now)
At the present moment, there are 500 students at the school.
an important moment
This was probably the most important moment in his life.
a critical/crucial moment (=a very important moment)
This was a critical moment in the country’s history.
a defining moment (=something that shows the real character or purpose of something)
The win was a defining moment in the boxer’s career.
somebody’s finest moment (=when someone was most successful or admired)
The performance was one of the band’s finest moments.
somebody’s proudest moment (=when someone did the thing they are most proud of)
My proudest moment was when my daughter was born.
the worst moment
Standing on the edge waiting to do your bungee jump is the worst moment.
verbs
capture the moment (=to take a picture, describe something etc that will remind you of a particular time)
They captured the moment on film.
enjoy the moment
She found herself laughing with him, enjoying the moment.
savour the moment (=enjoy the moment)
He seemed to savour every moment of their conversation.
relive the moment (=experience something again by thinking about it, talking about it etc)
In court she had to relive the moment her son was murdered.
choose a moment to do something (=do something at a particular time)
She always seemed to choose the worst moment to interrupt his thoughts.
dread a moment (=feel anxious or worried about something that will happen)
She was dreading the moment when she would have to fire him.
phrases
just this/that moment (=only a very short time ago)
I had just that moment arrived.
at this moment in time (=now)
At this moment in time we cannot proceed with the proposal.
from that moment on (=after that time)
From that moment on I saw very little of Dean.
moment to moment/moment by moment (=used for emphasizing that something changes quickly)
The colours of the sunset changed moment to moment.
every waking moment (=all the time you are awake)
He spent every waking moment in the lab.
at a given moment (=at any particular time)
There was no variety at all - you knew exactly what you would be doing at any given moment of the week.
nCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a very short period of time
verbs
take a moment (=use a short time)
Coleman took a moment to reply.
have a moment (=have a short time to use)
Can you come and see me when you have a moment?
wait a moment
Wait a moment while I get my coat.
pause a moment (=stop speaking or doing something for a short time)
Lisa paused a moment, then said ‘yes’.
hesitate a moment (=not speak or do something for a short time because you are unsure of what to say or do)
Paul hesitated a moment then followed her.
spare a moment (=used when asking someone if they have a short time available to spend with you)
Can you spare a moment to go through some figures with me?
phrases
just a moment (=used when telling someone to wait)
Just a moment, I’ll go and get her.
at a moment’s notice (=very quickly)
Fire fighters need to be able to get ready at a moment’s notice.
a moment ago
I saw him outside just a moment ago.
there’s never a dull moment (=something is always exciting or full of activity)
There’s never a dull moment with Chris around!
adjectives
a brief moment
For a brief moment, he looked directly at her.
a fleeting moment (=a very short time)
For a fleeting moment she wanted to run away.
a long moment
He was silent for a long moment before replying.
a spare moment (=short period of time when you are not doing other things)
She spent every spare moment in the library.
Examples from the Corpus
moment• He stood for a moment, rubbing his chin.• He was here a moment ago.• The speeder froze in mid-air for just a moment, while its computers coped with the suddenassault on the automatic systems.• There had been moments of significance but no possibility for overall meaning.• Can you spare a few moments to answer some questions?• I was just waiting for the right moment to tell her.• But when you do, it's a sweet, sweet moment.• At the moment I show, the beam is emanating westward.• When the moment came he took it and he took it well.• But these moments did not seem to lose the play's tension.• When it erupts at the wrongmoment, it can signalsevereillness.
at this/that moment• Guys, do you know how happy I am at this moment?• Angrily she opened her mouth to protest but at that moment the door opened and David appeared.• Dada was overcome by naturalembarrassment on meeting his daughterat that moment.• Even at this momentbrother Mycroft will be early at his desk in the ForeignOffice, soothingagitatedministers.• He seemed big and rugged - more like a logger than a hotelexecutiveat this moment.• The one occasion which was flashing through Yanto's mind at this moment involved just three of the local water babies.• If she'd had the power at that moment she would have reached out and crushed him into the carpet.• It was no good; readingat this moment in time was the last thing she felt like.
big moment• And, yes, it is a big moment.• It was still a big moment for everyone.• Molinari has had a run of big moments in her meteoric political career, and this latest is fittingly pyrotechnic.• Klepner's big moment had arrived and the ex-Harvard Business School man strode confidently to the podium.• It was Tara's big moment ; she breathed deeply and began to play.• He was delighted to know I came for the big moment in your career.• Finally, there is the big moment.• A professionalphotographer really gets down to it ... The big moment arrives and everything is a spectacularsuccess.• Maybe they knew this was their big moment, their chance to make history.