Emergency Situations Vocabulary

verb to wait or pause

preposition used to indicate that one is waiting or stopping for a short period of time

• Please hold on for a moment while I transfer your call to the appropriate department.
• Hey, hold on a sec, I just need to grab my keys before we leave.
• Hold on, dude, I'm almost done setting up the party decorations.
• Sometimes in life, we just need to hold on and trust that things will get better.

noun a moment or period of time that is very close to a deadline or the end of a process

adjective occurring or done at the latest possible time before an event

adverb at the latest possible time before an event

• The project was completed at the last minute before the deadline.
• I always leave things until the last minute and end up rushing to finish them.
• I totally procrastinated and did it at the last minute.
• He always comes up with brilliant ideas at the last minute.

noun wild and noisy disorder or confusion; uproar

adjective pandemonic (relating to or characteristic of pandemonium)

• The sudden announcement caused pandemonium in the stock market.
• When the fire alarm went off, it was pandemonium in the office.
• The party was so wild, it turned into total pandemonium!
• Her mind was a pandemonium of conflicting thoughts and emotions.

verb to delay or put off an event or action to a later time

• The committee has decided to postpone the meeting until next week.
• They're going to have to postpone the party because of the bad weather.
• Let's just postpone the study session, I'm not feeling it today.
• Sometimes it's better to postpone a decision until you have more information.