(Britain, figuratively, broadcasting) A period of stony, unresponsive silence.

(physics) The vector product that describes the rotary inertia of a system about an axis and is conserved in a closed system. For an isolated rigid body, it is a measure of the extent to which an object will continue to rotate in the absence of an applied torque.

(engineering) A measure of a body's resistance to bending; second moment of area.

(engineering) A measure of a body's resistance to twisting; a measure of torsional strength.

(engineering) A measure of a body's resistance to bending.

(physics) The turning effect of a force applied to a rotational system at a distance from the axis of rotation. The moment is equal to the magnitude of the force multiplied by the perpendicular distance between its line of action and the axis of rotation.

(geology) A quantity used to determine the size of an earthquake. Calculated either from a seismogram, or from the measurement of the area affected and the displacement of the rocks.

(slang) A brief period of weeping, especially for self-pity.

(physics) A generalization of momentum in four-dimensional spacetime.

(obsolete) Momentary, transient.