From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Transient \Tran"sient\, adjective [L. transiens, -entis, p. pr. of transire, transitum, to go or pass over. See {Trance}.]
1. Passing before the sight or perception, or, as it were, moving over or across a space or scene viewed, and then disappearing; hence, of short duration; not permanent; not lasting or durable; not stationary; passing; fleeting; brief; transitory; as, transient pleasure. ''Measured this transient world.'' --Milton.
2. Hasty; momentary; imperfect; brief; as, a transient view of a landscape.
3. Staying for a short time; not regular or permanent; as, a transient guest; transient boarders. [Colloq. U. S.]
Syn: {Transient}, {Transitory}, {Fleeting}.
Usage: Transient represents a thing as brief at the best; transitory, as liable at any moment to pass away. Fleeting goes further, and represents it as in the act of taking its flight. Life is transient; its joys are transitory; its hours are fleeting.
What is loose love? A transient gust. --Pope
If [we love] transitory things, which soon decay, Age must be loveliest at the latest day. --Donne.
O fleeting joys Of Paradise, dear bought with lasting woes. --Milton. -- {Tran"sient*ly}, adverb -- {Tran"sient*ness}, noun
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adverb
1: for a very short time; "these three pions may actually be joined together transiently as a compound particle during the interchange process"
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