inst.
Definition
- Adjective (abbreviation):
- Of the current month: "inst." is an abbreviation for "instant," used in formal or business correspondence to refer to the present month.
- Example: Your letter of the 15th inst. has been received. (Meaning: Your letter dated the 15th of this month has been received.)
Usage Examples
- (Referring to an order placed on the 10th of the current month.)
- (Payment must be made by the 20th of this month.)
Advanced Usage
- "inst." in legal or commercial documents: It is used to avoid repeating the month name, especially in formal correspondence.
- The meeting scheduled for the 5th inst. has been postponed. (The meeting originally set for the 5th of this month has been delayed.)
Variants and Related Words
- Instant (adj/n): the full form of "inst."; meaning immediate or the current month.
- The instant coffee was ready in seconds. (Adjective meaning immediate.)
- We discussed the matter on the 10th instant. (Noun meaning the current month.)
Synonyms
- Current month: the month in which the present time falls.
- Present month: the month that is ongoing.
Related Idioms
- "instant" in the sense of urgency: While "inst." is specific to month, the word "instant" also means immediate.
- He demanded an instant reply. (He required a very quick response.)
Phrasal Verbs
- None directly associated with "inst." as an abbreviation. However, the full word "instant" can be used in phrases like:
- "in an instant": very quickly.
- The car disappeared in an instant. (It vanished very rapidly.)