rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryimmediateWithout delay
adjective

immediate

ih-MEE-dee-ut/ɪˈmiːdiət/

Having no intervening distance or step.

The parent's immediate reaction catches the cup as it begins to tip.

A white parent instantly catching a tipping cup before it falls, action at the very moment of danger.
Etymology
imLatinnot, without
+mediateLatinto be in the middle

The pieces express having nothing in the middle or interposed. Applied to time, this means no intervening delay; applied to place or relation, it means directly next to something.

In context

Realidades Invisibles1:16
the need for immediate action such as calling an ambulance
Warning Signs Your Body Sends Before A Heart Attack

More examples

  • Only residents in the immediate area hear the alarm.
  • Please report any problems to your immediate supervisor.
  • We have no plans to move in the immediate future.

Forms

immediate

immediately adverb — Without delay or anything in between.

immediacy noun — The quality of being direct or instantaneous.

Similar words

direct
Excludes an intermediary, but does not necessarily imply speed.
instant
Emphasizes lack of delay rather than proximity or directness.
nearby
Describes closeness in space without suggesting direct contact.