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Glite Dictionary
in a mo

in a mo

8.8
It will happen very soon
  • idiom
  • UK
translation icon : en un momento
  • I'm sorry... but she and I have decided to spend a few hours together in a mo-

Examples

Synonyms

in no time
vsin a mo
174 1.3

Very quickly, in a short time

is used to promise occurrence soon rather than stress rapid speed
in just a minute
vsin a mo
54 1.7

After a very short time

is another way to say it will happen in a very short time
this minute
vsin a mo
  • Informal
52 1.1

At this very moment without delay

is used to indicate a near future rather than immediate current occurrence
in a flash
vsin a mo
  • Informal
35 2.5

Very quickly in a single moment

is used to say something will happen soon, not to stress the speed of action
momentarily
vsin a mo
  • US
30 3.6

In a very short time

is used to tell someone it will happen very soon
presently
vsin a mo
8 3.4

Soon, in a short time

is closer to immediate timing than the other expression
momently
vsin a mo
  • Archaic
9.6

Happens at any moment

is used to say it will happen very soon but not necessarily now

Antonyms

afterward
  • US
204 1.1

At a later time

later
1.0

Happening after something else in time

How Soon

immediately
∞ 1.0
in a mo
  • UK
8.8
shortly
6 1.5
soon
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

in a mo positive

Morphology

in + a + mo

This is a colloquial contraction of 'in a moment' and follows the regular pattern 'in + a + [time unit]'. A B1 learner who knows 'in', 'a', and 'mo' (moment) can directly infer the meaning 'very soon', so the expression is compositionally transparent despite its informal register.

Etymology

In a mo is an informal short form of 'in a moment', and mo comes from the start of the word moment, like a tiny blink of time. So when someone says in a mo they mean 'very soon'.