question about "for a long time", thanks
I heard this sentence from a video, the girl said:"we haven't met each other in a hot minute".
so I was wondering if it has the same meaning as "we haven't met each other for a long time", or they are different?
thanks for your help.
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Answers · 6
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Hello Mayi. Yes, you understand the basic meaning of "hot minute". It's a slang way of saying "a while" or "a long time" by expressing it as almost the opposite, as just a minute; it's an example of understatement, where you deliberately state something as much less than it is to emphasize it, like saying, "It rained a little last night." to describe a hurricane. Hope that helps!
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Yes, it does mean "we haven't met each other for a long time"
However, this term is mostly used in casual speech and informal conversations, it's essentially a slang term.
Hope this helps.
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Unfortunately the meaning has changed from a short time to a long time. It is no longer dependable as it is used for both. Never use it and understand that it means two completely different things when you see or hear it.
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"A hot minute" means a long time. It's usually used in a negative way, like you haven't done something in a while.
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