at once: I have to go, I really must, at once.
instantly: The man was killed instantly.
straight away: I should go and see a doctor straight away.
promptly: Sister Francesca entered the chapel, took her seat, and promptly fell asleep.
im|memo|ri|al / I m I mɔː riəl/ PHRASE If you say that something has been happening since time immemorial or from time immemorial , you are emphasizing that it has been happening for many centuries. [LITERARY , EMPHASIS ] □ It has remained virtually unchanged since time immemorial.
im|mense / I me ns/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as immense , you mean that it is extremely large or great. □ …an immense cloud of smoke. □ With immense relief I stopped running. ● im|men|si|ty / I me ns I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The immensity of the universe is difficult to grasp.
im|mense|ly / I me nsli/ ADV [usu ADV adj, oft ADV after v] You use immensely to emphasize the degree or extent of a quality, feeling, or process. [EMPHASIS ] □ I enjoyed this movie immensely.
im|merse / I mɜː r s/ (immerses , immersing , immersed )
1 VERB If you immerse yourself in something that you are doing, you become completely involved in it. □ [V pron-refl + in ] Since then I've lived alone and immersed myself in my career. ● im|mersed ADJ □ [+ in ] He's really becoming immersed in his work.
2 VERB [usu passive] If something is immersed in a liquid, someone puts it into the liquid so that it is completely covered. □ [be V -ed + in ] The electrodes are immersed in liquid.
im|mer|sion / I mɜː r ʃ ə n/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Someone's immersion in a subject is their complete involvement in it. □ [+ in ] …long-term assignments that allowed them total immersion in their subjects.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Immersion of something in a liquid means putting it into the liquid so that it is completely covered. □ [+ in ] The wood had become swollen from prolonged immersion in water.
im|mi|grant ◆◇◇ / I m I grənt/ (immigrants ) N‑COUNT An immigrant is a person who has come to live in a country from some other country. Compare emigrant . □ …illegal immigrants. □ …immigrant visas.
im|mi|grate / I m I gre I t/ (immigrates , immigrating , immigrated ) VERB [no passive] If someone immigrates to a particular country, they come to live or work in that country, after leaving the country where they were born. □ [V + to ] …a Russian-born professor who had immigrated to the United States. □ [V + from ] He immigrated from Ulster in 1848. □ [V ] 10,000 people are expected to immigrate in the next two years.
im|mi|gra|tion ◆◇◇ / I m I gre I ʃ ə n/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Immigration is the coming of people into a country in order to live and work there. □ The government has decided to tighten its immigration policy.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Immigration or immigration control is the place at a port, airport, or international border where officials check the passports of people who wish to come into the country.
im|mi|nent / I m I nənt/ ADJ If you say that something is imminent , especially something unpleasant, you mean it is almost certain to happen very soon. □ There appeared no imminent danger. ● im|mi|nence N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The imminence of war was on everyone's mind.
im|mo|bile / I moʊ ba I l, [AM ] -b ə l/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] Someone or something that is immobile is completely still. □ Joe remained as immobile as if he had been carved out of rock. ● im|mo|bil|ity / I moʊb I l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] Hyde maintained the rigid immobility of his shoulders.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] Someone or something that is immobile is unable to move or unable to be moved. □ A riding accident left him immobile. ● im|mo|bil|ity N‑UNCOUNT □ Again, the pain locked me into immobility.
im|mo|bi|lize / I moʊ b I la I z/ (immobilizes , immobilizing , immobilized ) in BRIT, also use immobilise VERB To immobilize something or someone means to stop them from moving or operating. □ [V n] …a car alarm system that immobilises the engine.
im|mo|bi|liz|er / I moʊ b I la I zə r / (immobilizers ) in BRIT, also use immobiliser N‑COUNT An immobilizer is a device on a car which prevents it from starting unless a special key is used, so that no one can steal the car.
im|mod|er|ate / I mɒ dərət/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as immoderate , you disapprove of it because it is too extreme. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ He launched an immoderate tirade on Turner.
im|mod|est / I mɒ d I st/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone's behaviour as immodest , you mean that it shocks or embarrasses you because you think that it is rude.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that someone is immodest , you disapprove of the way in which they often say how good, important, or clever they are. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ about ] He could become ungraciously immodest about his own capacities.
im|mor|al / I mɒ r ə l, [AM ] -mɔː r-/ ADJ If you describe someone or their behaviour as immoral , you believe that their behaviour is morally wrong. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …those who think that birth control and abortion are immoral. ● im|mo|ral|ity / I məræ l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …a reflection of our society's immorality.