1min·ute 
/ˈmɪnət/ noun
plural min·utes /ˈmɪnət/ noun 1 [count] a : a unit of time equal to 60 seconds : one 60th of an hour
▪ Bake the cake for 25–30 minutes. ▪ We waited for several minutes, but no one came to the door. ▪ He can run a six-minute mile. [=he can run a mile in six minutes]
b : a brief period of time : moment
▪ I saw him a minute ago. ▪ Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes. ▪ One minute it was sunny, the next it was pouring rain. ▪ Could I have a minute of your time? = Do you have a minute? = Could I speak to you for a minute? [=could I speak to you briefly?] ▪ I'm coming, just give me a minute. [=wait for me] ▪ It was an excellent show. I enjoyed every minute of it. [=I enjoyed all of it] ▪ I'll explain that in a minute. [=shortly, soon] — see also last minute 2 [count] : the distance that can be traveled in a minute
▪ My house is just a few minutes from here. 3 minutes [plural] : an official record of what was said and done in a meeting
▪ The secretary read the minutes of the last meeting. ▪ The secretary took the minutes [=recorded in writing what happened] during the meeting. 4 [count] technical : one of 60 equal parts into which a degree can be divided for measuring angles
▪ 42 degrees and 30 minutes
▪ Bake the cake for 25–30 minutes. ▪ We waited for several minutes, but no one came to the door. ▪ He can run a six-minute mile. [=he can run a mile in six minutes]
b : a brief period of time : moment
▪ I saw him a minute ago. ▪ Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes. ▪ One minute it was sunny, the next it was pouring rain. ▪ Could I have a minute of your time? = Do you have a minute? = Could I speak to you for a minute? [=could I speak to you briefly?] ▪ I'm coming, just give me a minute. [=wait for me] ▪ It was an excellent show. I enjoyed every minute of it. [=I enjoyed all of it] ▪ I'll explain that in a minute. [=shortly, soon] — see also last minute
▪ My house is just a few minutes from here.
▪ The secretary read the minutes of the last meeting. ▪ The secretary took the minutes [=recorded in writing what happened] during the meeting.
▪ 42 degrees and 30 minutes
a laugh a minute — see 2laugh
any minute
◊If something could happen (at) any minute (now), it could happen very soon.
▪ The bus should be here any minute now. ▪ I'm expecting a phone call any minute. ▪ Things could change at any minute. [=at any moment]
▪ The bus should be here any minute now. ▪ I'm expecting a phone call any minute. ▪ Things could change at any minute. [=at any moment]
at/on a minute's notice — see 1notice
from minute to minute or from one minute to the next or minute by minute
: very quickly as time passes
▪ Things kept changing from minute to minute. [=from moment to moment]
▪ Things kept changing from minute to minute. [=from moment to moment]
hold/hang on a minute or wait/just a minute
informal 1 — used to tell someone to wait or to stop for a brief time ▪ “Aren't you finished yet?” “Hold on a minute. I'm almost done.” ▪ Hang on a minute—I didn't hear you. Could you repeat what you said? 2 — used to express surprise or disbelief ▪ Hey, wait a minute! That's not what you said yesterday!
just this minute — see 2just
not for a/one minute
: at no time : not at all : never
▪ I did not believe her for one minute. = Not for one minute did I believe her. [=I never believed her]
▪ I did not believe her for one minute. = Not for one minute did I believe her. [=I never believed her]
the minute
: as soon as
▪ Please call me the minute you get home. ▪ I knew the minute (that) I saw it that I had to have this dress.
▪ Please call me the minute you get home. ▪ I knew the minute (that) I saw it that I had to have this dress.
this minute
to the minute
within minutes
: within a very short amount of time
▪ We called an ambulance and it arrived within minutes.
▪ We called an ambulance and it arrived within minutes.
