A one

[ ey wuhn ]

adjective

1. noting a vessel regarded by a shipping-classification society as being equipped to the highest standard and with equipment maintained in first-class condition.
2. Also A number one. Informal. first-class; excellent; superior:

   The meals there are A one.

Word History and Origins

Origin of A one¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Idioms and Phrases

Also, A-1; A-number-one . First-class, of the best quality, as in This is an A-one steak . The term comes from Lloyd's, the British insurance company, which in its 1775 shipping register designated the condition of a ship's hull by a letter grade (A, B, etc.) and of its cables, anchor, and other equipment by a number grade (1, 2, etc.). By the early 1800s A-1, the best possible grade, was being transferred to anything of superior quality.

Example Sentences

Sarah Guy, a beautician from South Wales, paid £1,500 to Luxury Medical Aesthetics and Academy for a "one day fat reduction masterclass" after being impressed with the company’s before and after photographs on Instagram.

From BBC

He said his client “fully accepted his involvement from the get go” and that this was “a one punch case, not a sustained attack.”

From BBC

Norris chose new tyres for his first run and set the pace with a one minute 8.928 seconds lap, with the Australian just under 0.3secs slower on used tyres.

From BBC

The child, who has not been named for legal reasons, lives in a one bedroom home in Tower Hamlets in London which needs to be extended to provide another bedroom and space for his equipment.

From BBC

There is another message in this Budget: this is a one off.

From BBC