immediately

immediately, at once, directly, instantly, presently, right away

这组词(组)共同的意思是“立即”“马上”。它们的区别在于:

1.at once主要指动作迅速,但中间多有一段距离,且at once比immediately意味更强。例如:

I'm leaving for Rome at once.我马上去罗马。

He gave orders for the work to be started at once.他下令立即开始那项工作。

2.immediately侧重指时间“紧接着”。例如:

I came immediately after I'd eaten.吃过饭我立即就来了。

Please close your books immediately and answer these questions.请立即合上书,回答这些问题。

I left immediately when the clock struck twelve.钟刚打12点我就离去了。

3.right away经常出现在美式英语中。例如:

I'll do it right away.我立即去办。

He had written down a list of things to do right away.他已写下须立即做的事情。

Don't expect them to approve of the design right away.不能期望他们马上批准这项设计。

4.instantly也是指动作迅速,但它更强调的是同时发生,中间有很短的距离或无距离。例如:

The electrician went instantly in answer to the phone call.电工师傅一接到电话马上就去了。

He was killed instantly in a car accident.在车祸中,他当场死亡。

5.directly强调“直接地”,多与“迂回绕过”相对。例如:

Whether he sailed directly across the bay or coasted round it is uncertain.他是径直驶过海湾,还是沿海岸迂回绕过的,现在还无法确知。

6.presently强调过一会再去做某事。例如:

I will do the dishes presently, but I want to finish the story first.我过一会去洗碟子,不过我想得先看完这篇故事。

immediately，instantly，presently，directly，shortly，soon，at once，right away

这些副词或副词词组均有“立刻、马上”之意。

immediately指做完一件事后，立即就做另一件事，中间一般没有明显的时间间隔。

instantly指恰恰就在此刻，一秒钟也没耽误。

presently指不久、即将。

directly和immediately同义，指毫无迟疑。

shortly和soon同义，指动作发生或完成的速度之快。

soon常用词，指行动快，完成速度快。

at once口语中常用，语气强烈，指时间紧迫，一刻也不能耽误。

right away主要用于美国英语，语气稍弱于at once，强调动作迅速。