wait a minute/moment/second

phrase

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.

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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 14 Mar. 2026.

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