second

brief, fleeting, split

There was only a brief second when I could have caught the ball before it hit the ground.

heart-stopping

She froze in a heart-stopping second when she saw the car sliding toward her.

take

I need to grab my keys—just take a second while I find them.

have

I need to use "have a second" in a natural, everyday context that's different from the original example. I'm busy right now, but if you can wait, I'll have a second to help you later this afternoon.

wait

Hold on a second while I grab my keys from the other room.

pass, tick by

As I waited for the test results, the seconds seemed to pass so slowly.

for a ~

I paused at the door for a second before deciding to go back inside.

in a ~

Can you wait in a second while I grab my coat from the other room?

in/within ~s

The car's airbags inflated in seconds when the crash occurred.

a fraction of a second

She hesitated for just a fraction of a second before answering his question.

a matter of seconds

The download will be finished in a matter of seconds, so please wait.

creditable, worthy

She came a worthy second in the spelling competition, beating most of her classmates.

~ to

Her homemade apple pie was a close second to the bakery's famous chocolate cake.

~ in

She came in second in the running race last weekend.

not give sth

She didn't give her decision a second thought before accepting the job offer.

on ~s

I wasn't sure about moving abroad, but on second thoughts I decided it was the right decision.

without a ~

She agreed to help her friend without a second thought.

~s about

After the job interview, Maria began to have second thoughts about accepting the offer.