Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Immediate

Im-me′di-ate

,
Adj.
[F.
immédiat
. See
In-
not, and
Mediate
.]
1.
Not separated in respect to place by anything intervening; proximate; close;
as,
immediate
contact
.
You are the most
immediate
to our throne.
Shakespeare
2.
Not deferred by an interval of time; present; instant.
“Assemble we immediate council.”
Shak.
Death . . . not yet inflicted, as he feared,
By some
immediate
stroke.
Milton.
3.
Acting with nothing interposed or between, or without the intervention of another object as a cause, means, or agency; acting, perceived, or produced, directly;
as, an
immediate
cause
.
The
immediate
knowledge of the past is therefore impossible.
Sir. W. Hamilton.
Syn. – Proximate; close; direct; next.

Webster 1828 Edition

Immediate

IMME'DIATE

,
Adj.
[L. in and medius, middle.]
1.
Proximate; acting without a medium, or without the intervention of another cause or means; producing its effect by its own direct agency. An immediate cause is that which is exerted directly in producing its effect, in opposition to a mediate cause, or one more remote.
2.
Not acting by second causes; as the immediate will of God.
3.
Instant; present; without the intervention of time. We must have an immediate supply of bread.
Immediate are my needs--
Death--inflicted--by an immediate stroke.

Definition 2024

immediate

immediate

See also: immédiate

English

Adjective

immediate ‎(comparative more immediate, superlative most immediate)

  1. Happening right away, instantly, with no delay.
    • Shakespeare
      Assemble we immediate council.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess:
      When Timothy and Julia hurried up the staircase to the bedroom floor, where a considerable commotion was taking place, Tim took Barry Leach with him. He had him gripped firmly by the arm, since he felt it was not safe to let him loose, and he had no immediate idea what to do with him.
    Computer users these days expect immediate results when they click on a link.‎
  2. Very close; direct or adjacent.
    immediate family;  immediate vicinity‎
    • Shakespeare
      You are the most immediate to our throne.
  3. Manifestly true; requiring no argument.
  4. (computer science, of an instruction operand) embedded as part of the instruction itself, rather than stored elsewhere (such as a register or memory location)
  5. (procedure word, military) To denote that a transmission is urgent.
    Bravo Three, this Bravo Six. Immediate! We are coming under fire from the north from an unknown enemy, over!
  6. (procedure word, military) An artillery fire mission modifier for to types of fire mission to denote an immediate need for fire: Immediate smoke, all guns involved must reload smoke and fire. Immediate suppression, all guns involved fire the rounds currently loaded and then switch to high explosive with impact fused (unless fuses are specified).
    Hotel Two-Niner, this is Bravo Six. Immediate suppression at grid November-Kilo four-five-three two-one-five. Danger Close. I authenticate Golf Echo, over.

Related terms

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

Italian

Adjective

immediate f pl

  1. feminine plural of immediato

Latin

Adjective

immediāte

  1. vocative masculine singular of immediātus

Etymology

From Old French immediat, from Late Latin immediātus ‎(“without anything between”), from Latin in + mediātus, past participle of mediō ‎(“to halve, to be in the middle”), from medius ‎(“middle”)

Pronunciation

Similar Results