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single

Pronunciation: /ˈsɪŋg(ə)l/
Translate single | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of single

adjective

  • 1 [attributive] only one; not one of several:a single red rose the kingdom was ruled over by a single family
  • regarded as distinct from each other or others in a group:she wrote down every single word alcohol is the single most important cause of violence
  • [with negative] even one (used for emphasis):they didn’t receive a single reply
  • designed or suitable for one person:a single bed
  • archaic not accompanied by others; alone.
  • 2unmarried or not involved in a stable sexual relationship:a single mother
  • 3 [attributive] consisting of one part:the studio was a single large room
  • British (of a ticket) valid for an outward journey only, not for the return: a first-class single ticket
  • (of a flower) having only one whorl of petals: the individual blooms can be single, semi-double, or fully double
  • denoting an alcoholic drink that consists of one measure of spirits:a single whisky
  • 4 archaic free from duplicity or deceit; ingenuous:a pure and single heart

noun

  • 1an individual person or thing rather than part of a pair or a group.
  • a short record or CD featuring one main song or track.
  • (singles) people who are unmarried or not involved in a stable sexual relationship:the divorce rate is rising so you’ll see more singles in their late 30s and early 40s [as modifier]:a singles holiday
  • British a ticket that is valid only for an outward journey.
  • a single measure of spirits.
  • US informal a one-dollar note.
  • 2a play that scores one point, in particular:
  • Cricket a hit for one run.
  • Baseball a hit which allows the batter to proceed safely to first base.
  • 3 (singles) (especially in tennis and badminton) a game or competition for individual players, not pairs or teams.
  • 4 (usually singles) Bell-ringing a system of change-ringing in which one pair of bells changes places at each round.

verb

[with object]
  • 1 (single someone/thing out) choose someone or something from a group for special treatment:one newspaper was singled out for criticism
  • 2thin out (seedlings or saplings): hand hoes are used for singling roots
  • 3reduce (a railway track) to a single line: the South Western line was singled west of Salisbury
  • 4 [no object] Baseball hit a single: Cohen singled to centre
  • [with object] cause (a run) to be scored by hitting a single.
  • [with object] advance (a runner) by hitting a single.

Derivatives

singledom

noun

singleness

noun

Origin:

Middle English: via Old French from Latin singulus, related to simplus 'simple'

single in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of single in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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/ məˈnɒkjʊlə /
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with, for, or in one eye …