Meanings
- idiomaticuncountableA short period of time, typically anywhere from several seconds to several minutes or more.
The hero of the turf accepted this bet, and on the day appointed, just a minute before starting, qualified his stallion to run for the purse.
1807, Charles Sedley, The barouche driver and his wife, page 6
- idiomaticStop; wait; hold on. Used to interrupt speech or proceedings so that one can make a comment or query.
Miss Girzie at these words started up, and said, "Sir, sir, just a minute." "I can hear no more," cried I; "it is plain you intend to make a bargain with my friend...
1827, John Galt, The last of the lairds: or, The life and opinions of Malachi Mailings ..., page 221Synonyms: just a second, hold it right there, hold on a minute, wait a minute
Synonyms & antonyms
interjectionStop; wait; hold on. Used to interrupt speech or proceedings so that one can make a comment or query.
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 且慢
- 且慢 (qiěmàn)Stop; wait
Finnish pieni hetki, hetkinen
- pieni hetkiStop; wait
- hetkinenStop; wait
Polish chwilę, chwilkę
- chwilęStop; wait
- chwilkęStop; wait
- chwileczkęStop; wait
- momentStop; wait
- momencikStop; wait
Russian мину́точку
- мину́точку (minútočku)Stop; wait
Thai ช้าก่อน
- ช้าก่อน (cháa-gɔ̀ɔn)Stop; wait
Cite this entry
just a minute. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/just%20a%20minute
“just a minute.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/just%20a%20minute. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “just a minute,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/just%20a%20minute.
Source: just a minute on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.