Singular

Definition of Singular

Sin´gu`lar   Pronunciation: sĭņ´gũ`lẽr
a.1.Separate or apart from others; single; distinct.
And God forbid that all a company
Should rue a singular man's folly.
- Chaucer.
2.Engaged in by only one on a side; single.
To try the matter thus together in a singular combat.
- Holinshed.
3.(Logic) Existing by itself; single; individual.
The idea which represents one . . . determinate thing, is called a singular idea, whether simple, complex, or compound.
- I. Watts.
4.(Law) Each; individual; as, to convey several parcels of land, all and singular.
5.(Gram.) Denoting one person or thing; as, the singular number; - opposed to dual and plural.
6.Standing by itself; out of the ordinary course; unusual; uncommon; strange; as, a singular phenomenon.
So singular a sadness
Must have a cause as strange as the effect.
- Denham.
7.Distinguished as existing in a very high degree; rarely equaled; eminent; extraordinary; exceptional; as, a man of singular gravity or attainments.
8.Departing from general usage or expectations; odd; whimsical; - often implying disapproval or censure.
His zeal
None seconded, as out of season judged,
Or singular and rash.
- Milton.
To be singular in anything that is wise and worthy, is not a disparagement, but a praise.
- Tillotson.
9.Being alone; belonging to, or being, that of which there is but one; unique.
These busts of the emperors and empresses are all very scarce, and some of them almost singular in their kind.
- Addison.
Singular point in a curve
(Math.) a point at which the curve possesses some peculiar properties not possessed by other points of the curve, as a cusp point, or a multiple point.
Singular proposition
(Logic) a proposition having as its subject a singular term, or a common term limited to an individual by means of a singular sign.
Singular succession
(Civil Law) division among individual successors, as distinguished from universal succession, by which an estate descended in intestacy to the heirs in mass.
- Whately.
Singular term
(Logic) a term which represents or stands for a single individual.
n.1.An individual instance; a particular.
2.(Gram) The singular number, or the number denoting one person or thing; a word in the singular number.

Related Words

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Singular point in a curve
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