Word definition: once

Etimology


From Middle English ones, from Old English ānes, a remodelling (after ān (“one”)) of ǣnes, itself an extension of ǣne (“once”) with the genitival suffix -es. Compare Old Saxon ēnes (“once”), Old High German eines, einēst (“once”), modern German einst (“once”). More at one (including regarding the development of the pronunciation) and -s.

adverb


once (not comparable)

(frequency) One and only one time.

(temporal location) Formerly; during some period in the past.

(chiefly obsolete) At any time; ever.

(obsolete) One day, someday.

(mathematics) Multiplied by one: indicating that a number is multiplied by one.

Examples


I have only once eaten pizza.

Synonym: one time

He was once the most handsome man around.

I once had a bicycle just like that one.

Wang notes that flowers have rooted and grow in the area once covered with ice.

Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.

The hovel stood in the centre of what had once been a vegetable garden, but was now a patch of rank weeds. Surrounding this, almost like a zareba, was an irregular ring of gorse and brambles, an unclaimed vestige of the original common.

Now we are liberal with our innermost secrets, spraying them into the public ether with a generosity our forebears could not have imagined. Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never meet.

The wisdom of God thought fit to acquaint David with that court which we shall once govern.

If the facts once became known, we'd be in trouble.

Once three is three.

Related words


synonyms

(one time): See Thesaurus:once

(formerly): See Thesaurus:formerly

coordinate terms

(one time): twice, thrice, often, never, seldom

(formerly): yesterday, tomorrow

conjunction


once

As soon as; when; after.

Examples


We'll get a move on once we find the damn car keys!

Once you have obtained the elven bow, return to the troll bridge and trade it for the sleeping potion.

Once he is married, he will be able to claim the inheritance.

Not only were Jupp Heynckes' team pacey in attack but they were relentless in their pursuit of the ball once they had lost it, and as the game wore on they merely increased their dominance as City wilted in the Allianz Arena.

In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.

noun


once (plural onces)

Obsolete form of ounce.

Data provided by Wiktionary