[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/jiffy.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / jiffy

[← J](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/J/)

# jiffy

«jiffy» in Mova's school dictionary: **a very short time, a moment** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

noun (a jiffy — informal)

### meaning for a pupil

1) (informal) A jiffy is a very short time, a moment. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jiffy/#m1)

2) (UK) A Jiffy bag is a padded envelope for posting things. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jiffy/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday talk, «I'll be back in a jiffy» means very soon. It is friendly, chatty language, more common with adults and in stories. Common phrases: «in a jiffy», «in half a jiffy», «just a jiffy», «Jiffy bag».

### examples

- I'll be with you in a jiffy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jiffy/#x1)
- Dinner will be ready in a jiffy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jiffy/#x2)
- Just a jiffy — I need to find my shoes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jiffy/#x3)
- The cake was gone in a jiffy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jiffy/#x4)
- Mum posted the book in a Jiffy bag. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jiffy/#x5)
- The puppy was out of the door in a jiffy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jiffy/#x6)
- In a jiffy he pounced upon it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jiffy/#x7)

### note

Used almost only in the phrase «in a jiffy». It is informal; in a formal essay write «very quickly» or «in a moment». «Jiffy bag» is a brand name, so it often has a capital J. Similar: «in a tick» (UK), «in a sec».

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «jiffy» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jiffy/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.