immediately
[ ih-mee-dee-it-lee ]
/ ɪˈmi di ɪt li /
adverb
without lapse of time; without delay; instantly; at once: Please telephone him immediately.
with no object or space intervening.
closely: immediately in the vicinity.
without intervening medium or agent; concerning or affecting directly.
conjunction
Chiefly British.
the moment that; as soon as.
Origin of immediately
SYNONYMS FOR immediately
1
instantaneously,
forthwith.
Immediately,
instantly,
directly,
presently were once close synonyms, all denoting complete absence of delay or any lapse of time.
Immediately and
instantly still almost always have that sense and usually mean at once:
He got up immediately. She responded instantly to the request.
Directly is usually equivalent to soon, in a little while rather than at once:
You go ahead, we'll join you directly.
Presently changes sense according to the tense of the verb with which it is used. With a present tense verb it usually means now, at the present time:
The author presently lives in San Francisco. She is presently working on a new novel. In some contexts, especially those involving a contrast between the present and the near future,
presently can mean soon or in a little while:
She is at the office now but will be home presently.
Words nearby immediately
Example sentences from the Web for immediately
British Dictionary definitions for immediately
immediately
/ (ɪˈmiːdɪətlɪ) /
adverb
without delay or intervention; at once; instantly
it happened immediately
very closely or directly
this immediately concerns you
near or close by
he's somewhere immediately in this area
conjunction
(subordinating) mainly British
at the same time as; as soon as
immediately he opened the door, there was a gust of wind