one-way

[ wuhn-wey ]

adjective

1. moving, or allowing movement in one direction only:

   a one-way street.

2. valid for travel in one direction only: Compare round trip.

   a one-way ticket.

3. without a reciprocal feeling, responsibility, relationship, etc.:

   It's a one-way friendship.

4. not intended for return to a seller, dealer, etc., for reuse; disposable:

   one-way bottles.

one-way

adjective

1. moving or allowing travel in one direction only

   one-way traffic

2. entailing no reciprocal obligation, action, etc

   a one-way agreement

Word History and Origins

Origin of one-way¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

There’s also the cost of the flight; on average, a one-way international plane ticket costs around $1,400, according to Angie’s List.

From Salon

The device, which is brought to school with the young person, allows them to access a one-way live stream and communicate via a microphone.

From BBC

Even then, they mainly constituted “one-way information dissemination efforts via mass media and web-based channels; they were rarely reflective of bottom-up, participatory approaches to engage communities on the protective behaviours,” the authors wrote.

From Salon

"There will be a queuing and one-way system in operation for people to see the attractions on the walls in a safe and managed way."

From BBC

Customs and Border Patrol, Corcoran wrote: Banks had booked one-way flights to Dubai and Switzerland scheduled to leave that night.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• straight