once

[ wuhns ]

adverb

1. at one time in the past; formerly:

   I was a farmer once;

   a once powerful nation.

2. a single time: We go to a movie once a week.

   We ate there just once.

   We go to a movie once a week.

3. even a single time; at any time; ever:

   If the facts once become known, it will be just too bad.

4. by a single step, degree, or grade:

   a cousin once removed.

adjective

1. former; having at one time been:

   the once and future king.

conjunction

1. if or when at any time; if ever.
2. whenever; as soon as:

   Once you're finished, you can leave.

noun

1. a single occasion; one time only:

   Once is enough.

once

/ wʌns /

adverb

1. one time; on one occasion or in one case
2. at some past time; formerly

   I could speak French once

3. by one step or degree (of relationship)

   a cousin once removed

4. in conditional clauses, negatives, etc ever; at all

   if you once forget it

5. multiplied by one
6. once and away
   1. conclusively
   2. occasionally
7. once and for all
   conclusively; for the last time
8. once in a while
   occasionally; now and then
9. once or twice or once and again
   a few times
10. once upon a time
    used to begin fairy tales and children's stories

conjunction

1. subordinating as soon as; if ever or whenever

   once you begin, you'll enjoy it

noun

1. one occasion or case

   you may do it, this once

2. all at once
   1. suddenly or without warning
   2. simultaneously
3. at once
   1. immediately
   2. simultaneously
4. for once
   this time, if (or but) at no other time

Word History and Origins

Origin of once¹

First recorded before 1150; Middle English ones, Old English ānes, originally genitive of ān “one” replacing Middle English enes, Old English ǣnes “once,” equivalent to ǣne “once” (originally instrumental of ān ) + -es adverb suffix; one, -s ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of once¹

C12 ones, ānes, adverbial genitive of on, ān one

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. all at once,
   1. simultaneously:

      The children were running, screaming, and throwing things all at once.

   2. suddenly:

      All at once the rain came down.

2. at once,
   1. at the same time; simultaneously:

      Don't all speak at once.

   2. immediately; promptly:

      Tell him to come at once!

3. once and again, repeatedly:

   He has been told once and again not to slam the door.

4. once and for all, decisively; finally: Also once for all.

   Let's settle this problem once and for all.

5. once in a while, at intervals; occasionally:

   She stops in to see us once in a while.

6. once or twice, a very few times; infrequently:

   I've seen her in the elevator once or twice.

7. once upon a time, at some unspecified past time, especially a long time ago:

   Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a prince and princess.

More idioms and phrases containing once

• all at once
• at once
• every now and then (once in a while)
• give someone the once-over

Example Sentences

His eyes met mine more than once, reassuring me that we’re still a team — just like we are on complex video shoots for our business, parenting a blended family and wrangling our 120-pound dog for a bath.

From Los Angeles Times

Once considered a coveted assignment for comedians like Bob Hope and Billy Crystal, the high-stakes role of Oscars host has grown increasingly difficult to fill, as the spotlight on the show has intensified while ratings have steadily dwindled from their peak of more than 55 million viewers in 1998.

From Los Angeles Times

David Corn at Mother Jones did a deep dive into RFK Jr.'s twisted reality and reported that he once told Trumpy podcasters Joe Rogan and Theo Von that "a global elite led by the CIA had been planning for years to use a pandemic to end democracy and impose totalitarian control on the entire world."

From Salon

Once the highest-flying of cryptocurrency highfliers, the FTX crypto exchange is now in bankruptcy.

From Los Angeles Times

The biggest quarry in FTX’s lawsuits is Binance, the international crypto exchange that was once a major rival of FTX.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• already
• before
• earlier
• formerly
• previously