"This month", "the date that just passed". In a message dated 6/7/2006 10:42:41 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, susanregan@comcast.net writes: I was just wondering what "instant" or "instantly" meant is obits from the mid to late 1800's. I have a few relative's obits that were worded like that but they died of illnesses like consumption, pneumonia...things that aren't so suddenly...so what other meaning can it have? Philadelphia Research