---
title: instant — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «instant» in the school dictionary: Happening at once, with no wait: «an instant reply». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instant/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [I](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/) / instant

# instant

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** nobody, you, instant, magic potion, We, lights · **What happens:** happen, make, add, move, call, arrive · **To what, where:** hot water, short moment, me, instant effect, instant noodles, instant · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«instant» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 8 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [instant in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/instant.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Happening at once, with no wait: «an instant reply».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:m1:1
# text = Happening at once, with no wait: «an instant reply».
1	Happening	happen	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	7	csubj	_	_
2	at	at	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	7	det	_	_
7	wait	wait	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	7	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
11	instant	instant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	reply	reply	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **happen** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme at once=Location |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: of food or drink — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Made very quickly, usually by adding hot water: «instant noodles».

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:m2:1
# text = Made very quickly, usually by adding hot water: «instant noodles».
1	Made	make	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
2	very	very	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	quickly	quickly	ADV	RB	_	1	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
5	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
6	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	adding	add	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	1	advcl	_	_
8	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	instant	instant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	amod	_	_
13	noodles	noodle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | participle |  |  |  |  |  | quickly *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 2 | **add** *speech: assert* | gerund |  | hot water |  |  |  | usually *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: noun — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A very short moment: «For an instant, nobody moved».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:m3:1
# text = A very short moment: «For an instant, nobody moved».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	very	very	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	short	short	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	moment	moment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	For	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	instant	instant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
11	nobody	nobody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Neg	12	nsubj	_	_
12	moved	move	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **move** *in a quote* | past | nobody | a short moment *not said here* |  |  |  | for a instant | vn roll-51.3.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent moment=Theme |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: the instant — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As soon as: «Call me the instant you arrive».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:m4:1
# text = As soon as: «Call me the instant you arrive».
1	As	as	ADV	RB	ExtPos=CCONJ	6	cc	_	_
2	soon	soon	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	1	fixed	_	_
3	as	as	ADP	IN	_	1	fixed	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	6	punct	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	Call	call	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	instant	instant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
10	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	11	nsubj	_	_
11	arrive	arrive	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** *speech: assert* *in a quote* | imperative | you *not said here* |  | me |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent i=Recipient |
| 2 | **arrive** *in a quote* | present | the instant |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The magic potion had an instant effect.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:x1:1
# text = The magic potion had an instant effect.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	magic	magic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	potion	potion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	instant	instant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	effect	effect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | the magic potion | a instant effect |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent effect=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We had instant noodles for lunch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:x2:1
# text = We had instant noodles for lunch.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	instant	instant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	noodles	noodle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	lunch	lunch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | We | instant noodles |  |  |  | for lunch | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent noodle=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In an instant, the lights went out.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:x3:1
# text = In an instant, the lights went out.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	instant	instant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	lights	light	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	nsubj	_	_
7	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	out	out	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **go out** | past | the lights |  |  | a instant |  | out *property* | vn interact-36.6 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Come here this instant!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:x4:1
# text = Come here this instant!
1	Come	come	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	here	here	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	1	advmod	_	_
3	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	4	det	_	_
4	instant	instant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | imperative | you *not said here* | this instant |  | here |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location instant=Theme |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Call me the instant the cake is ready.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:x5:1
# text = Call me the instant the cake is ready.
1	Call	call	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	instant	instant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	xcomp	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	cake	cake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	ready	ready	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **call** | imperative | you *not said here* |  | me |  |  |  | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent i=Recipient |
| 2 | **is** | present | the cake |  |  |  |  | ready *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The film was an instant success.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:x6:1
# text = The film was an instant success.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	instant	instant	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	success	success	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the film | a instant success |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
For an instant, I thought I saw a ghost.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:x7:1
# text = For an instant, I thought I saw a ghost.
1	For	for	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	instant	instant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	thought	think	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
8	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	ccomp	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	ghost	ghost	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **think** *speech: other* | past | I |  |  |  |  | for a instant | vn consider-29.9-2 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **see** | past | I | a ghost |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer ghost=Stimulus |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In an instant he was there.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:instant:x8:1
# text = In an instant he was there.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	instant	instant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | past | he |  |  | a instant |  | there *property* | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [instance](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instance/)
- next →: [instantaneous](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/instantaneous/)
- ↑ back to [I in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/)