at once

1. Immediately, as in Mother told the children to come inside at once . [First half of 1500s]

2. At the same time, as in We can't all fit into the boat at once . [First half of 1200s] Also see at one time , def. 1.

Example Sentences

Charles is at once a Renaissance man and a Luddite.

From Salon

“He could smell out condescension, a slight, an air of superiority or a snub at a thousand paces; and at once smelt, he could charge after it with quite shocking abandon.”

From BBC

“At the time, there were so many things happening at once out of nowhere, we didn’t really have time to think, ‘I wonder how we’re doing with this?’

From Los Angeles Times

“We're talking about National Insurance, National Living Wage, we're talking about business rates. We have packaging and recycling taxes coming in. That's a lot of pressure on business all at once,” he said.

From BBC

But “Wicked” will delight fans of the stage production as a faithful adaptation that is at once playful but reverent to the iconic “Defying Gravity.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• actual
• prompt
• urgent