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once

adv
/wʌn(t)s//wʌn(t)s/UK/wʌn(t)s/US

Etymology

From Middle English ones, from Old English ānes, a remodelling (after ān (“one”)) of ǣnes, itself an extension of ǣne (“once”) with the genitive suffix -es. Equivalent to one + -s. Cognate with Saterland Frisian enst, insen (“once”), West Frisian iens (“once”), Dutch eens (“once”), German Low German eens, ins (“once”), German einst (“once”). More at one (including regarding the development of the pronunciation) and -s.

  1. inherited from ānes
  2. inherited from ones

Definitions

  1. One and only one time.

    • I have only once eaten pizza.

  2. Formerly

    Formerly; during some period in the past.

    • He was once the most handsome man around.
    • I once had a motorbicycle.
    • Once I didn't drive a big car, but now I own an all-terrain 4WD.

  3. At any time

    At any time; ever.

    • If the facts once became known, we'd be in trouble.
    • Once bring in the police and what is inevitably bound to follow? There will be calls and interrogations and cross-questionings […]
  4. ›+ 5 more definitions

    1. One day, someday.

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

    2. Multiplied by one

      Multiplied by one: indicating that a number is multiplied by one.

      • Once three is three.

    3. As soon as

      As soon as; when; after.

      • Near-synonym: immediately
      • 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.

    4. Obsolete form of ounce.

    5. A fan of the Korean girl band Twice.

The neighborhood

Derived

Christmas comes but once a year, don't spend it all at once, fool me once, for this once, once a man, twice a boy, once a man, twice a child, once a woman, twice a child, Once Brewed, once-in-a-generation, once-in-a-lifetime, onceness, once-off, once on a time, once-over-lightly, oncer

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for once. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA