Dictionary entry
new york minute
noun
瞬间；一眨眼功夫
a very short time
- 1.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
In use
She sent the question and got an answer in a New York minute.
The cookies were gone in a New York minute after the children came home.
He changed the tire in a New York minute and we were back on the road.
do something in a New York minute
表示立即、非常快地做某事。
He would quit his job in a New York minute if he won the lottery.
如果他中了彩票，他会立刻辞掉工作。
not do something in a New York minute
否定形式表示不会很快做某事。
She wouldn't move to the countryside in a New York minute.
她不会轻易搬到乡下去。
last just a New York minute
表示持续时间极短。
His enthusiasm lasted just a New York minute.
他的热情只持续了一瞬间。
Common mistakes
I will call you at a New York minute.I will call you in a New York minute.
中文学习者常误用介词“at”来表示“在纽约时刻”，但英语中“in a New York minute”是固定短语，表示“立刻；马上”，介词应用“in”而非“at”。
He finished the task in New York minute.He finished the task in a New York minute.
中文没有不定冠词的概念，学习者容易遗漏“a”，但“New York minute”作为固定短语必须带冠词“a”，表示“极短的时间”。
Connections
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WORDNET.