Definition Synonyms
Definition of once - Reverso English Dictionary
Adverb
1.
timehappening one time only
- I visited Paris once.
2.
formerlyat a previous time in the past
- He was once a famous actor.
3.
conditional timingas soon as, when
- Once you finish your homework, you can play outside..
Conjunction
immediate sequenceas soon as something happens
- Once the rain stops, we can go outside.
Noun
timesingle occasion or instance
- That was a once in a lifetime event.
Expressions with once
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immediately, without delay
He stood up at once when he saw her..
happening rarely or as an exception to usual events
For once, she arrived early to the meeting.
one generation apart in family relationship
My cousin's child is my cousin once removed.
happening suddenly without warning or preparation
All at once, the lights went out.
simultaneously in two different locations
She felt like she needed to be in two places at once.
emphasizes something has never happened at all
He tried to quit smoking, but not even once succeeded.
in a way that is final and needs no repetition
Let's settle this once and for all.
occurs a single time for a person, extremely uncommon
Meeting the astronaut was a once in a lifetime chance.
happens occasionally or at irregular intervals
We go to the beach once in a while.
double-check measurements before cutting wood to avoid mistakes
Measure twice and cut once to save wood and time.
double-check measurements before cutting to avoid mistakes
Before sawing the wood, he always measures twice, cuts once.
happening very rarely or infrequently
He visits us once in a blue moon.
happening only one time in a lifetime
Climbing Mount Everest is a once in her life achievement.
indicate a time long ago in stories or past events
Once upon a time, there was a brave knight.
after experiencing power, he changed his behavior
Once he had tasted power, he became more ambitious.
express warning about learning from being tricked once
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
reluctant due to past failure
She's once bitten, twice shy about dating after her last relationship.
done decisively and finally with no repetition
She settled the argument once for all.
very rarely or almost never
A talent like hers comes along once in a generation.
happens very rarely or infrequently
I only see him once in a great while.
more times than is safe or acceptable
He pushed his luck once too often and got caught.
take risks while you are still young
Try the new job, you are only young once.
person has only one lifetime to enjoy experiences
Remember, you only go around once, so take that trip.
life is short, enjoy it fully without regrets
She decided to travel the world because you only live once.
Origin of once
Old English, anes (once) + Proto-Germanic, ain (one)
Terms with once included in their meaning
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repetition
another time or once more
weekly routine
happens once a week on Saturday
frequency
happening once a week or every week
yearly event
happening once every year
recurrence
happening or done once every month
time
happening once every month without missing any month
occurrences
occurring more than once or several times
world map
West African country, once ruled by Britain, now independent republic
frequency
once every week
restarting process
from the beginning once more
different times
happening on different occasions, not all at once
animal behavior
a four-legged animal kicking both hind legs upward at once
reservation conflict
reserve the same thing for two people at once
time frequency
happening once in each period of two weeks
time frequency
happening once in two years, skipping one year
time frequency
happening once in each period of two years
correspondence
large number of letters received at once
cinema
watched the movie at least once before
regular event
gathering held once a month
mind
filled with many thoughts or ideas at once
sequential actions
do things one after another, not all at once
single instance
happening only once and not again
single fee
fee paid only once
activity
holding or carrying many things at once
Examples of once in a sentence
I cooked this dish once before. She once lived in Paris during her college years. The building was once a bustling marketplace. Call me once you arrive at the station. Once the rain stops, we will go for a walk. Once the bell rings, the class will start.
Once the sun sets, the lights automatically turn on. I only met him the once, but he was impressive. Winning the lottery was a once for her.
View all translations of once
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:une fois, jadis, ...
- German:einmal, ehemals, ...
- Italian:una volta, appena, ...
- Spanish:una vez, una vez que, ...
- Portuguese:uma vez, em tempos, ...
- Chinese:一次, 曾经, ...
- Japanese:一度, ら, ...
- Arabic:مَرَّة وَاحِدَة, بِمُجَرَّد أَنْ, ...
- Hebrew:פַּעַם אַחַת, מֵרֶגַע שֶׁ, ...
- Russian:однажды, когда-то, ...
- Ukrainian:одного разу, колись, ...
- Hindi:एक बार, कभी, ...
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