split-second
A stopwatch with two second hands, each of which may be stopped separately to time the intervals of a race by a sportsperson, or to time more than one sportsperson.
Noun
- A stopwatch with two second hands, each of which may be stopped separately to time the intervals of a race by a sportsperson, or to time more than one sportsperson.
- A fraction of a second; hence (figurative, also attributive) a very short time period; an instant, a moment.
- It's very dangerous, though, when a man thinks for a split second that he understands death. - 1912, G[ilbert] K[eith] Chesterton, “The Eye of Death; or, The Murder Charge”, in Manalive, New York, N.Y.: John Lane,...
- I was in the gutter, sitting my bike, willing them to die, […] or otherwise obliterated because this demanded split-second timing. - 1959, William Golding, chapter 4, in Free Fall, Harbinger Books edition, New York,...
- It appears [Simon] Cowell has been taking notes from South Korea, as his next talent show Walk The Line, coming later this year, has also been game-ified: it will see singers perform, then have to make the split-second...
Synonyms: bat of an eye bit blink of an eye crack eyeblink flash glimpse half a mo instant jiff jiffy jot minute mo moment New York minute New York second no time sec second span split-second spurt stound
Origin
From split (adjective) + second (noun), from split second(s) hands: see sense 1.