If someone says to you "I will be with you in a moment" how long do you think they will be?
Is a moment longer or shorter than a jiffy?
Is a moment longer or shorter than a jiffy?
How long is a moment
- Thread starter Miss Chicken
- Start date
I'll tell you in a wee while. 
About that long.
I'll be there in just...
a "sec" = 1-15 seconds
a "moment" = 16-60 seconds
a "minute" = 61-90 seconds
a "few minutes" = 91-240 seconds
a "jiffy" = You will never see me again, which is why I'm using made-up words on you, ha ha ha ha.
a "sec" = 1-15 seconds
a "moment" = 16-60 seconds
a "minute" = 61-90 seconds
a "few minutes" = 91-240 seconds
a "jiffy" = You will never see me again, which is why I'm using made-up words on you, ha ha ha ha.
In all seriousness, however, I usually equate a "moment" subjectively to the time it takes to complete the current active or passive tasks, or string of tasks, that need to be done at the present time, be it watching a scene on TV, writing an e-mail, talking on the phone, putting things into an oven, etc.
If they're not here in 5 minutes, I'm gone.
about ten minutes then sod em
"in a moment/minute" is an irregular temporal construct. Usually I find it's tied with the other activities that the person saying it is involved with.
If you say "in a sec", that's going to be a minute or two.
"Hang on a few" means that you should expect up to 15 minutes.
"Jiffy" usually means 2 minutes give or take, but up to 5.
If you say "in a sec", that's going to be a minute or two.
"Hang on a few" means that you should expect up to 15 minutes.
"Jiffy" usually means 2 minutes give or take, but up to 5.
Depends on culture, too..In time centered societies like North America and western Europe, a moment I think of as a few minutes.
However if someone tells your "un rato" or a moment in South America, it could be hours :P
However if someone tells your "un rato" or a moment in South America, it could be hours :P
"A moment" means that you have to do something first without leaving the area; "a jiffy" means you have to leave the area to do something and then come back.
A jiffy is about 3 × 10^−29 seconds (the time it takes light to cross the distance of one nucleon).
A
Amaris
Guest
Oh you gotta take a few moments to enjoy a martini.
Less than twelve parsecs.
However long it takes to complete the current task that I consider more important than the person I'm telling to wait a moment.
I expect them to bring popcorn.
Damn, beat me too it.
Incidentally, the smallest unit of meaningful time in existence. A quantum of time, if you like.
Soon, I think. Very, very soon.
With real butter and popped in coconut oil. Yum.
Or chocolate.
Brilliant description!
With the speed of canada post - back in a jiffy could therefore mean anything from a week to three months!
