\In"stant\, a. [L. instans, -antis, p. pr. of instare to
stand upon, to press upon; pref. in- in, on + stare to stand:
cf. F. in?tant. See {Stand}.]
1. Pressing; urgent; importunate; earnest.
         Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;
         continuing instant in prayer.         --Rom. xii.
                                               12.
         I am beginning to be very instant for some sort of
         occupation.                           --Carlyle.
2. Closely pressing or impending in respect to time; not
   deferred; immediate; without delay.
         Impending death is thine, and instant doom. --Prior.
3. Present; current.
         The instant time is always the fittest time.
                                               --Fuller.
Note: The word in this sense is now used only in dates, to
      indicate the current month; as, the tenth of July
      instant.

\In"stant\, adv.
Instantly. [Poetic]
      Instant he flew with hospitable haste.   --Pope.

\In"stant\, n. [F. instant, fr. L. instans standing by,
being near, present. See {Instant}, a.]
1. A point in duration; a moment; a portion of time too short
   to be estimated; also, any particular moment.
         There is scarce an instant between their flourishing
         and their not being.                  --Hooker.
2. A day of the present or current month; as, the sixth
   instant; -- an elliptical expression equivalent to the
   sixth of the month instant, i. e., the current month. See
   {Instant}, a., 3.
Syn: Moment; flash; second.