once

UK /wʌn(t)s/ US /wʌn(t)s/

adv 5noun 2conj 1

Definitions

adv

One and only one time.

I have only once eaten pizza.

Formerly; during some period in the past.

He was once the most handsome man around.

I once had a motorbicycle.

At any time; ever.

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.

One day, someday.

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

Once three is three.

conj

As soon as; when; after.

Near-synonym: immediately

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

noun

Obsolete form of ounce.

Collocations

ADJ.

better, handsome, most, occupied

He was once the most handsome man in the entire town.

VERB + ONCE

begin, cut, go, leave, move, set, start

Once we set off on our road trip, we didn't stop driving until we reached the coast.

ONCE + NOUN

life, motorbicycle, pizza

He crashed his motorbike only once in his entire life, but he never rode it again.

PREP.

in, in, off, on

I finally got my driving license once and for all after failing the test three times.

ADV.

especially, only

She only once remembered to bring her umbrella to work during the rainy season.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

adverb — at a previous time

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

once and for all

Conclusively, finally, permanently.

They replaced the entire door, in hopes of correcting the sticking and squeaking once and for all.

once or twice

A small, indefinite number of times.

Have you changed a tyre before? — Yes, once or twice.

all at once

Unexpectedly; without warning; all of a sudden.

When all at once I saw a crowd, / A host, of golden daffodils

once in a blue moon

Very rarely; very infrequently.

We are no advocates for the eternal system of producing foreign operas to the exclusion of the works of English composers, but once in a blue moon such a thing may be allowed.

once bitten, twice shy

One is cautious if one has been hurt in the past.

Example Bank

I have only once eaten pizza.

Wiktionary

He was once the most handsome man around.

Wiktionary

I once had a motorbicycle.

Wiktionary

Near-synonym: immediately

Wiktionary

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

Wiktionary

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

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, once is marked as obsolete, slang. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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