Single

Definition of Single

Sin´gle
a.1.One only, as distinguished from more than one; consisting of one alone; individual; separate; as, a single star.
No single man is born with a right of controlling the opinions of all the rest.
- Pope.
2.Alone; having no companion.
Who single hast maintained,
Against revolted multitudes, the cause
Of truth.
- Milton.
3.Hence, unmarried; as, a single man or woman.
Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness.
- Shak.
Single chose to live, and shunned to wed.
- Dryden.
4.Not doubled, twisted together, or combined with others; as, a single thread; a single strand of a rope.
5.Performed by one person, or one on each side; as, a single combat.
These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant, . . .
Who now defles thee thrice ti single fight.
- Milton.
6.Uncompounded; pure; unmixed.
Simple ideas are opposed to complex, and single to compound.
- I. Watts.
7.Not deceitful or artful; honest; sincere.
I speak it with a single heart.
- Shak.
8.Simple; not wise; weak; silly.
He utters such single matter in so infantly a voice.
- Beau. & Fl.
Single ale
small ale, etc., as contrasted with double ale, etc., which is stronger.
Single bill
(Law) a written engagement, generally under seal, for the payment of money, without a penalty.
- Nares.
Single court
(Lawn Tennis) a court laid out for only two players.
- Burril.
Single-cut file
See the Note under 4th File.
Single entry
See under Bookkeeping.
Single file
See under 1st File.
Single flower
(Bot.) a flower with but one set of petals, as a wild rose.
Single knot
See Illust. under Knot.
Single whip
(Naut.) a single rope running through a fixed block.
v. t.1.To select, as an individual person or thing, from among a number; to choose out from others; to separate.
[imp. & p. p. Singled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Singling .]
Dogs who hereby can single out their master in the dark.
- Bacon.
His blood! she faintly screamed her mind
Still singling one from all mankind.
- More.
2.To sequester; to withdraw; to retire.
An agent singling itself from consorts.
- Hooker.
3.To take alone, or one by one.
Men . . . commendable when they are singled.
- Hooker.
v. i.1.To take the irrregular gait called single-foot; - said of a horse. See Single-foot.
Many very fleet horses, when overdriven, adopt a disagreeable gait, which seems to be a cross between a pace and a trot, in which the two legs of one side are raised almost but not quite, simultaneously. Such horses are said to single, or to be single-footed.
- W. S. Clark.
n.1.A unit; one; as, to score a single.
2.The reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling to give them firmness.
3.A handful of gleaned grain.
4.(Law Tennis) A game with but one player on each side; - usually in the plural.
5.(Baseball) A hit by a batter which enables him to reach first base only.

Related Words

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Sinewish
Sinewless
Sinewous
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Sinful
Sing
Sing-sing
Singe
Singer
Singeress
Singhalese
Singing
Singing bird
Singing book
Singing falcon
Singing fish
Singing flame
Singing master
Singing school
Singingly
-Single-
Single ale
Single bill
Single blessedness
Single combat
Single court
Single entry
Single file
Single flower
Single knot
Single position
Single tax
Single whip
Single-acting
Single-breasted
Single-cut file
Single-foot
single-handed
single-handedly
Single-hearted
single-minded
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