minute

min|ute1 [ `mınıt ] noun ***

1. ) count a period of 60 seconds. There are 60 minutes in one hour:

I'll meet you downstairs in ten minutes.

We waited until twenty minutes to ten, then left.

Thompson scored again in the final minutes of the game.

a ) a short period of time:

It will only take a minute.

Carole spends every spare minute practicing.

for a minute: For a minute I thought she had left.

b ) the distance you can travel in a minute:

The city center is ten minutes away.

c ) a moment or point in time:

One minute he was there, the next he was gone.

any minute (=very soon): Jack should be here any minute.

within minutes: Within minutes I realized I was on the wrong train.

2. ) count TECHNICAL one of the 60 parts of a DEGREE (=a unit used in the measurement of angles)

3. ) minutes plural an official written record of what is discussed or decided at a formal meeting:

Shall we hear the minutes of the last meeting?

take the minutes (=write them): Carl usually takes the minutes, but he's not here tonight.

a ) count MAINLY BRITISH a short note or report about a particular subject

by the minute

used for referring to something that is changing or developing very quickly:

We became more annoyed by the minute.

every minute counts

it is important not to delay or waste time:

When you're on a tight schedule, every minute counts.

every minute (of something)

all of a period of time:

I enjoyed every minute of our trip to Hawaii.

hang on/hold on a minute SPOKEN

used for asking someone to wait for a short period of time, especially someone you are talking to on the telephone

the last minute

the latest possible time for doing something:

Jane always waits until the last minute to write her paper.

We decided to go at the last minute.

not for a/one minute

used in negative statements for emphasizing what you are saying:

Don't think for a minute that I'll forgive you for this!

I didn't believe her for one minute!

the minute you do something

1. ) as soon as you do something:

Please call me the minute you hear anything from the hospital.

2. ) used for saying that a particular action causes a quick result or reaction:

The minute you mention marriage, he's gone.

this minute INFORMAL

immediately, used especially for telling someone to do something at once:

Turn off that television this minute!

wait/just a minute SPOKEN

1. ) used for asking someone to wait or be patient:

Just a minute, sir, and I'll take your order.

2. ) used when you are about to disagree with what someone has said:

Wait a minute, that can't be right.

minute

min|ute 2 [ `mınıt ] verb transitive

to record something in the minutes of a meeting or in a note

mi|nute [ maı`nut ] adjective **

1. ) very small:

The soil contained minute quantities of uranium.

The chances of success were minute.

2. ) very careful and detailed:

a minute examination

in minute detail (=very carefully): Our lawyer went over the contract in minute detail.

╾ mi|nute|ness noun uncount