once

/wʌns/
adverbBeginner one time
general

one time

She called me once yesterday.

She made a single phone call to me yesterday.

Once is enough for me.

I only need to experience something one time.

💡

Often used to indicate a single occurrence or a single attempt.

general

at some point in the past or future

I'll visit you once I finish my work.

I will go to see you after completing my tasks.

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom.

In the past, there existed a kingdom.

💡

Used to introduce a narrative or to refer to an unspecified time in the past or future.

Collocations

once upon a timea phrase used to begin a story, especially a fairy taleonce in a whileoccasionally or sometimes

Related Phrases

once and for allidiom
finally and permanently

💡Pro Tip

Conditional Use

'Once' can be used in conditional sentences to refer to a future time, e.g., 'Once you finish, we can leave.'

Gold Rule

Single Occurrence

'Once' typically refers to a single occurrence or a single attempt.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'ones', from Old English 'ān', meaning 'one'. The adverbial use developed in Middle English.

📝Usage Notes

'Once' can refer to a single occurrence or an unspecified time. It is often used in conditional sentences to indicate a future time when something will happen.

Word Breakdown

once
one time
root
English Dictionary