"Returning soon," in online shorthand

• "Gimme a sec," in chats
• "Hang on a sec," in texts
• Texter's "I'm away for a moment"
• "Returning soon," in texts
• "Hang on a sec," to a texter
• "hold on 1 sec ok?"
• "Hold on a sec," while texting
• "Have to step away for a sec," breifly

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
by 1996, Internet chat acronym for be right back .