once en · ADV · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /wɒn(t)s/ (UK)
- /wʌn(t)s/ (US)
- /wʌn(t)s/ (UK)
- (US) audio
- wŭn(t)s
- /wʌn(t)s/
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.
Meanings
-
(not-comparable, qualifier:frequency) One and only one time.
I have only once eaten pizza.
-
(not-comparable) Formerly; during some period in the past.
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.
2013 June 14, Jonathan Freedland, “Obama's once hip brand is now tainted”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 18:He was once the most handsome man around.
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.
1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:Wang notes that flowers have rooted and grow in the area once covered with ice.
Once I didn't drive a big car, but now I own an all-terrain 4WD.
I once had a motorbicycle.
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.
1944, Miles Burton, chapter 5, in The Three Corpse Trick:
-
(not-comparable, obsolete) 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 […]
1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
-
(not-comparable, obsolete) One day, someday.
The wisdom of God thought fit to acquaint David with that court which we shall once govern.
1612–1634, [Joseph Hall], “(please specify the page)”, in [Contemplations vpon the Principall Passages of the Holy Storie], volume (please specify |volume=I to VIII), London, →OCLC:
-
(not-comparable) Multiplied by one: indicating that a number is multiplied by one.
Once three is three.
Antonyms
often · four times · twice · thrice
Coordinates
seldom (one time) · never (one time) · often (one time) · twice (one time) · thrice (one time) · yesterday (formerly) · tomorrow (formerly)
Deriveds
Christmas comes but once a year · fool me once · once a man, twice a child · once-in-a-generation · once a man, twice a boy · once a woman, twice a child · for this once · once on a time · Once Brewed · once-off · once-in-a-lifetime · onceness · don't spend it all at once · once-over-lightly · Oncer · oncer
Relateds
for once and for all · you only go around once · frequency · once more · you only live once · measure twice and cut once · once in a blue moon · once in a purple moon · once and again · at once · once in a way · once again · not even once · once or twice · once upon a time · once and away · once over · once removed · once you go black · once in a while · once more into the breach · you only go around once in life · once for all · for once · write once · once-over · once and for all
Synonyms
wunst · once · one time · yance · oncet · formerly (formerly)
Translations (179)
hu egy ízben (one and only one time) · cy unwaith (one and only one time) · sk kedysi (formerly) · nl eens (one and only one time) · hi एक बार (one and only one time) · fr une fois (formerly) · pdt eenmol (nds) (one and only one time) · mnc ᡝᠮᡤᡝᡵᡳ (one and only one time) · ro o dată (one and only one time) · pl jeden raz (one and only one time) · is einu sinni (one and only one time) · yo lẹ́ẹ̀kan (one and only one time) · enm enes (one and only one time) · pt outrora (formerly) · oc autretemps (formerly) · kix tìam (one and only one time) · mk еднаш (one and only one time) · sv för ut (formerly) · grc ἅπαξ (one and only one time) · bg някога (formerly) · la semel (one and only one time) · sh јѐдно̄м (one and only one time) · ceb makausa (one and only one time) · ps یوه پلا (one and only one time) · fr jadis (formerly) · xpr 𐭏𐭉𐭅𐭐𐭓𐭂 (one and only one time) · tr bir kez (one and only one time) · nb en gang (formerly) · pal 𐭠𐭩𐭥𐭡𐭠𐭥 (one and only one time) · oc un còp èra (formerly) · se oktii (one and only one time) · hu egykor (formerly) · pl kiedyś (formerly) · gd uaireigin (formerly) · yi אַ מאָל (formerly) · fr un temps (formerly) · es antaño (formerly) · enm enes (formerly) · cmn 一遍 (one and only one time) · uk коли́сь (formerly) · sh једа̀нпӯт (one and only one time) · is einu sinni (formerly) · cmn 一次 (one and only one time) · crg payaakwow (one and only one time) · ja 一遍 (one and only one time) · ja 一回 (one and only one time) · vi từng (formerly) · el άπαξ (one and only one time) · cmn 以前 (formerly) · de früher (formerly) · es antes (formerly) · sh nȅkada (formerly) · yi איין מאָל (one and only one time) · crg enn fway (one and only one time) · sa सकृत् (one and only one time) · ms sekali (one and only one time) · vi một lần (one and only one time) · ja 一度 (one and only one time) · ca una vegada (one and only one time) · bg веднъж (formerly) · da engang (formerly) · sv en gång (one and only one time) · ro odată (formerly) · la quondam (formerly) · fi ennen (formerly) · ceb kausa (one and only one time) · enm ene (one and only one time) · sh jèdnōm (one and only one time) · fi kerran (formerly) · es otrora (formerly) · ru ра́нее (formerly) · ru ра́ньше (formerly) · ga uair amháin (one and only one time) · ang ǣr (formerly) · la aliquando (one and only one time) · da en gang (one and only one time) · ja 以前 (formerly) · de einmal (one and only one time) · yo ẹ̀ẹ̀kan (one and only one time) · es en otro tiempo (formerly) · pl raz (one and only one time) · gmw-ecg aanst (one and only one time) · bg еднокра́тно (one and only one time) · tr bir defa (one and only one time) · nb én gang (one and only one time) · be раз (one and only one time) · oc de temps passat (formerly) · sl ênkrat (one and only one time) · ka ერთხელ (one and only one time) · haw hoʻokahi wā (one and only one time) · ur ایک دَفْعَہ (one and only one time) · ar مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً (one and only one time) · sv tidigare (formerly) · cs jednou (one and only one time) · ang ǣne (one and only one time) · ang ǣne (formerly) · hu egy alkalommal (one and only one time) · cmn 有一次 (formerly) · ja 一時 (formerly) · es anteriormente (formerly) · bg веднъ́ж (one and only one time) · vi đã từng (formerly) · eo unufoje (one and only one time) · lb eemol (one and only one time) · eo iama (formerly) · ms dahulu (formerly) · sa सकृत् (formerly) · enm ones (formerly) · sv förut (formerly) · io unfoye (one and only one time) · ru одна́жды (one and only one time) · prg ainawārst (one and only one time) · sh jedànpūt (one and only one time) · zu kanye (one and only one time) · sk raz (one and only one time) · it una volta (formerly) · fr une fois (one and only one time) · enm ones (one and only one time) · oc autres còps (formerly) · ka ერთჯერ (one and only one time) · sl nekóč (formerly) · it una volta (one and only one time) · gl outrora (formerly) · gl unha vez (formerly) · sco ance (one and only one time) · ar مَرَّةً (one and only one time) · uk оди́н раз (one and only one time) · es una vez (one and only one time) · hu valaha (formerly) · fi yksi kertaa (mathematics: multiplied by one) · jje ᄒᆞᆫ 번 (one and only one time) · ru когда́-то (formerly) · nl eens (formerly) · gl unha vez (one and only one time) · ang ǣnes (one and only one time) · el μια φορά (one and only one time) · unm kwëtën (formerly) · uk раз (one and only one time) · es antiguamente (formerly) · nl eenmaal (one and only one time) · fi kerran (one and only one time) · nl een keer (one and only one time) · cmn 曾經 /曾经 (formerly) · nn eingong (formerly) · nn éin gong (one and only one time) · pl wcześniej (formerly) · ja かつて (formerly) · hu egyszer (one and only one time) · fr autrefois (formerly) · ko 한 번 (one and only one time) · nci ceppa (one and only one time) · he פַּעַם (formerly) · cs kdysi (formerly) · be адзі́н раз (one and only one time) · be адно́йчы (one and only one time) · sv en gång (formerly) · nl ooit (formerly) · nb på et tidspunkt (formerly) · got 𐍃𐌿𐌼𐌰𐌽 (formerly) · pt uma vez (one and only one time) · hu egyszer (formerly) · grc πρίν (formerly) · fi ennen vanhaan (formerly) · ang hwīlum (formerly) · ja 一時期 (formerly) · ru оди́н раз (one and only one time) · mt darba waħda (one and only one time) · sh не̏када (formerly) · yi פֿריִער (formerly) · hu egyetlenegyszer (one and only one time) · sl enkràt (formerly) · sh не̏кад при̏је (formerly) · gsw emaal (one and only one time) · el άλλοτε (formerly) · sh nȅkad prȉje (formerly) · fa یکبار (one and only one time) · it un tempo (formerly) · sco ance (mathematics: multiplied by one) · el παλιά (formerly)