im·me·di·ate
Pronounced:
/ɪˈmi:dijət/
Function:
adjectiveMeaning:
1 a : happening or done without delay ▪ This requires your immediate attention. ▪ The new restaurant was an immediate success. ▪ This crisis calls for immediate action. ▪ The response to the crisis was immediate. b : happening or existing now ▪ The wildfire poses no immediate threat to any houses in the area. ▪ The danger is not immediate. c always used before a noun [more im*me*di*ate; most im*me*di*ate] : important now ▪ Our (most) immediate concern is to provide aid to the victims.
2 always used before a noun a : close to a particular place ▪ They have evacuated everyone in the immediate area/vicinity of the wildfire. ▪ outside the immediate neighborhood/surroundings b : close to a particular time or event ▪ Many people suffered in the war's immediate aftermath. ▪ The effect of the new policy will be unknown for the immediate future.
3 always used before a noun : having no other person or thing in between ▪ Turn right onto Main Street and then take your immediate left. [=quickly turn onto the next street on your left] ▪ He was sitting to my immediate right. ▪ The company president will choose her immediate successor. ▪ She was my immediate predecessor ▪ He referred me to his immediate superior. ▪ Hospital visits are limited to immediate family. [=a person's parents, brothers and sisters, husband or wife, and children]
4 always used before a noun : coming straight from a cause or reason ▪ The immediate [=direct] cause of death was pneumonia. ▪ There is an immediate connection between the two events.
2 always used before a noun a : close to a particular place ▪ They have evacuated everyone in the immediate area/vicinity of the wildfire. ▪ outside the immediate neighborhood/surroundings b : close to a particular time or event ▪ Many people suffered in the war's immediate aftermath. ▪ The effect of the new policy will be unknown for the immediate future.
3 always used before a noun : having no other person or thing in between ▪ Turn right onto Main Street and then take your immediate left. [=quickly turn onto the next street on your left] ▪ He was sitting to my immediate right. ▪ The company president will choose her immediate successor. ▪ She was my immediate predecessor ▪ He referred me to his immediate superior. ▪ Hospital visits are limited to immediate family. [=a person's parents, brothers and sisters, husband or wife, and children]
4 always used before a noun : coming straight from a cause or reason ▪ The immediate [=direct] cause of death was pneumonia. ▪ There is an immediate connection between the two events.