single

[ sing-guhl ]

/ ˈsɪŋ gəl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR single ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

only one in number; one only; unique; sole: a single example.

of, relating to, or suitable for one person only: a single room.

solitary or sole; lone: He was the single survivor.

unmarried or not in a romantic relationship: a single man.

pertaining to the unmarried state: the single life.

of or noting a parent who brings up a child or children alone, without a partner.

of one against one, as combat or fight.

consisting of only one part, element, or member: a single lens.

sincere and undivided: single devotion.

separate, particular, or distinct; individual: Every single one of you must do your best. It's the single most important thing.

uniform; applicable to all: a single safety code for all manufacturers.

(of a bed or bedclothes) twin-size.

(of a flower) having only one set of petals.

British. of standard strength or body, as ale, beer, etc. Compare double(def 1).

(of the eye) seeing rightly.

verb (used with object), sin·gled, sin·gling.

to pick or choose (one) from others (usually followed by out): to single out a fact for special mention.

Baseball.

to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a one-base hit.
to cause (a run) to be scored by a one-base hit (often followed by in or home).

verb (used without object), sin·gled, sin·gling.

Baseball. to hit a single.

noun

one person or thing; a single one.

an accommodation suitable for one person only, as a hotel room or a table at a restaurant: to reserve a single.

a ticket for a single seat at a theater.

British.

a one-way ticket.
a steam locomotive having one driving wheel on each side.

singles, people who are unmarried or not in a romantic relationship, especially if relatively young: It's not uncommon for singles to feel lonely on Valentine Day.

Baseball. Also called one-base hit. a base hit that enables a batter to reach first base safely.

singles, (used with a singular verb) a match with one player on each side, as a tennis match.

Golf. twosome(def 4).

Cricket. a hit for which one run is scored.

Informal. a one-dollar bill.

Music.

a phonograph record, CD, or cassette usually having two songs: I probably won't buy the single.
one of the songs recorded on a single: a hit single.
a song released or promoted separately from the rest of the album to which it belongs: A viral video put that single back on the charts.

Often singles. Textiles.

reeled or spun silk that may or may not be thrown.
a one-ply yarn of any fiber that has been drawn and twisted.

Origin of single

1275–1325; late Middle English (adj.), Middle English sengle < Old French < Latin singulus individual, single (usually in the plural singuli one apiece), derivative of *sem- one (see simplex)

SYNONYMS FOR single

1 distinct, particular.

3 isolated.

4 unwed.

16 select.

19 individual.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR single ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM single

qua·si-sin·gle, adjective qua·si-sin·gly, adverb un·sin·gle, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH single

signal single single singular

Words nearby single

singhalese, singing game, singing hinny, singing telegram, singingfish, single, single blind, single bond, single combat, single cream, single cut

Example sentences from the Web for singles

The song did indeed become an underground hit before hitting the mainstream, reaching No. 15 on the RB singles chart.

‘The Prince of Chocolate City’: When Gil Scott-Heron Became A Music Icon |Marcus Baram |November 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
To risk eye contact with any of the above is to forfeit all singles in your wallet.

Leaky Ceilings, Catcalls, and Uncaged Pythons: 4 Hours on NYC’s Worst Subway |Kevin Zawacki |August 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Words like ‘singles’ and ‘meet new people’ are prominent in the ads, as are pictures of laughing women.

All the Grown-Up Hipsters Playing Kids’ Games |Daniel Genis |June 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Into the pocket goes a pair of all-beef hot dogs (singles are also available).

The Jersey Shore’s Biggest Weiners Are at Jimmy Buff’s |Jane & Michael Stern |June 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Our church tends to attract a younger crowd of singles and families with small children.

Can’t Fill the House On Easter? Try Handing Out Gadgets |Matthew Paul Turner |April 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Few, indeed, could do it properly, though the singles of some were very neat.

Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 459 |Various
Hays, as you know, has that peculiar cross-fire delivery that singles him out among pitchers.

Baseball Joe, Captain of the Team |Lester Chadwick
The machines will carry three as well as two, and even if we have, by some mischance to go up in singles, they'll carry double.

Air Service Boys in the Big Battle |Charles Amory Beach
"A set of ten Chippendale singles with two armchairs will fetch almost anything you like nowadays," he added.

A harum-scarum schoolgirl |Angela Brazil
The match was to be at one-hundred balls—sixty singles, and twenty pairs of doubles.

The Adventures of Bobby Orde |Stewart Edward White

British Dictionary definitions for singles (1 of 2)

singles

/ (ˈsɪŋɡəlz) /

pl n

tennis badminton a match played with one person on each side

British Dictionary definitions for singles (2 of 2)

single

/ (ˈsɪŋɡəl) /

adjective (usually prenominal)

existing alone; solitary upon the hill stood a single tower

distinct from other things; unique or individual

composed of one part

designed for one user a single room; a single bed

(also postpositive) unmarried

connected with the condition of being unmarried he led a single life

(esp of combat) involving two individuals; one against one

sufficient for one person or thing only a single portion of food

even one there wasn't a single person on the beach

(of a flower) having only one set or whorl of petals

determined; single-minded a single devotion to duty

(of the eye) seeing correctly to consider something with a single eye

rare honest or sincere; genuine

archaic (of ale, beer, etc) mild in strength

noun

something forming one individual unit

an unmarried person

a gramophone record, CD, or cassette with a short recording, usually of pop music, on it

golf a game between two players

cricket a hit from which one run is scored

British a pound note
US and Canadian a dollar note

See single ticket

verb

(tr usually foll by out) to select from a group of people or things; distinguish by separation he singled him out for special mention

(tr) to thin out (seedlings)

short for single-foot

Derived forms of single

singleness, noun

Word Origin for single

C14: from Old French sengle, from Latin singulus individual

Idioms and Phrases with singles

single

In addition to the idioms beginning with single

single file, in
single out

also see:

each and every (every single)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

single

adjective

verb (used with object), sin·gled, sin·gling.

verb (used without object), sin·gled, sin·gling.

noun

Origin of single

SYNONYMS FOR single

OTHER WORDS FROM single

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH single

Words nearby single

Example sentences from the Web for singles

British Dictionary definitions for singles (1 of 2)

pl n

British Dictionary definitions for singles (2 of 2)

adjective (usually prenominal)

noun

verb

Derived forms of single

Word Origin for single

Idioms and Phrases with singles

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

single

adjective

verb (used with object), sin·gled, sin·gling.

verb (used without object), sin·gled, sin·gling.

noun

Origin of single

SYNONYMS FOR single

OTHER WORDS FROM single

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH single

Words nearby single

Words related to singles

Example sentences from the Web for singles

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for singles (1 of 2)

pl n

British Dictionary definitions for singles (2 of 2)

adjective (usually prenominal)

noun

verb

Derived forms of single

Word Origin for single

Idioms and Phrases with singles

British Dictionary definitions for singles (1 of 2)