ONE AT A TIME

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does one at a time mean? 

• ONE AT A TIME (adverb)
  The adverb ONE AT A TIME has 1 sense:

1. in succession

  Familiarity information: ONE AT A TIME used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ONE AT A TIME (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In succession

Synonyms:

one at a time; one by one

Context example:

the prisoners came out one by one

 Context examples 

"Then we are all right," answered the Scarecrow, "for you can carry us all over on your back, one at a time."

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

“One at a time, one at a time,” laughed Dr. Livesey.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Individual layers of cancer tissue are removed and examined under a microscope one at a time until all cancer tissue has been removed.

(Mohs micrographic surgery, NCI Dictionary)

But she had made one point, and she could not expect to make more than one at a time.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

By the light of the fire he crooked his fingers slowly and repeatedly now one at a time, now all together, spreading them wide or making quick gripping movements.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

You may tell Miss Smith that I forgot to make a memorandum of the darning needles, but she shall have some papers sent in next week; and she is not, on any account, to give out more than one at a time to each pupil: if they have more, they are apt to be careless and lose them.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)