wait a minute/moment/second
idiom
1
—used to tell someone to stop and wait briefly
Wait a minute. I need to tie my shoe.
If you will just wait a second, I can explain what happened.
2
—used to interrupt someone or something because one has noticed, thought of, or remembered something
Wait a second—that's not what she said.
Wait a minute. I just remembered where I put the keys.
Examples of wait a minute/moment/second in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This collision between the impatient economy (people want their services yesterday) and the hesitation reflex (wait a minute on that click) is documented in Accenture’s 2025 Life Trends report, along with other trends ahead.
—
Joe McKendrick, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Well, wait a minute...you're the one who wants to move to Italy.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
All this to say: Wear your sunscreen separately, wait a minute, then apply your makeup.
—Sarah Kinonen, Allure, 27 Nov. 2024
Make sure to wait a minute or so for the cream to absorb into the skin, especially right before bedtime.
—Jessie Quinn, People.com, 2 Oct. 2024
Except, wait a minute, who was that small, stocky man bouncing out of the pack and suddenly leading cheers?
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
Do a trial run by watering for a count of ten, and then wait a minute before checking how deeply the water penetrated with your finger.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2024
But, wait a second: If so many people are opting for booze-free or low-ABV concoctions, isn’t a beverage center a little counterintuitive?
—Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 26 Aug. 2024
But wait a minute: Willy keeps on looking at the camera, and David keeps telling him to stop saying inappropriate things.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 May 2024
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Joe McKendrick, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Well, wait a minute...you're the one who wants to move to Italy.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
All this to say: Wear your sunscreen separately, wait a minute, then apply your makeup.
—Sarah Kinonen, Allure, 27 Nov. 2024
Make sure to wait a minute or so for the cream to absorb into the skin, especially right before bedtime.
—Jessie Quinn, People.com, 2 Oct. 2024
Except, wait a minute, who was that small, stocky man bouncing out of the pack and suddenly leading cheers?
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
Do a trial run by watering for a count of ten, and then wait a minute before checking how deeply the water penetrated with your finger.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2024
But, wait a second: If so many people are opting for booze-free or low-ABV concoctions, isn’t a beverage center a little counterintuitive?
—Kelsey Mulvey, Sunset Magazine, 26 Aug. 2024
But wait a minute: Willy keeps on looking at the camera, and David keeps telling him to stop saying inappropriate things.
—Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 May 2024
Dictionary Entries Near wait a minute/moment/second
Cite this Entry
“Wait a minute/moment/second.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wait%20a%20minute%2Fmoment%2Fsecond. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
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