SINGLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does single mean? 

• SINGLE (noun)
  The noun SINGLE has 2 senses:

1. a base hit on which the batter stops safely at first base

2. the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number

  Familiarity information: SINGLE used as a noun is rare.

• SINGLE (adjective)
  The adjective SINGLE has 7 senses:

1. being or characteristic of a single thing or person

2. used of flowers having usually only one row or whorl of petals

3. existing alone or consisting of one entity or part or aspect or individual

4. not married or related to the unmarried state

5. characteristic of or meant for a single person or thing

6. having uniform application

7. not divided among or brought to bear on more than one object or objective

  Familiarity information: SINGLE used as an adjective is common.

• SINGLE (verb)
  The verb SINGLE has 1 sense:

1. hit a single

  Familiarity information: SINGLE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SINGLE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A base hit on which the batter stops safely at first base

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

bingle; single

Hypernyms ("single" is a kind of...):

base hit; safety ((baseball) the successful act of striking a baseball in such a way that the batter reaches base safely)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "single"):

line-drive single; line single (a single resulting from a line drive)

Derivation:

single (hit a single)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

1; ace; I; one; single; unity

Context example:

they had lunch at one

Hypernyms ("single" is a kind of...):

digit; figure (one of the elements that collectively form a system of numeration)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "single"):

monad; monas (a singular metaphysical entity from which material properties are said to derive)

singleton (a single object (as distinguished from a pair))

• SINGLE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Being or characteristic of a single thing or person

Synonyms:

individual; single

Context example:

they went their individual ways

Similar:

idiosyncratic (peculiar to the individual)

singular (being a single and separate person or thing)

respective; several; various (considered individually)

man-to-man; one-on-one (being a system of play in which an individual defensive player guards an individual offensive player)

individualist; individualistic (marked by or expressing individuality)

Also:

separate (independent; not united or joint)

Attribute:

individualism; individuality; individuation (the quality of being individual)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Used of flowers having usually only one row or whorl of petals

Context example:

single chrysanthemums resemble daisies and may have more than one row of petals

Domain category:

botany; phytology (the branch of biology that studies plants)

Antonym:

double (used of flowers having more than the usual number of petals in crowded or overlapping arrangements)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Existing alone or consisting of one entity or part or aspect or individual

Context example:

a single thickness

Similar:

azygos; azygous (occurring singly; not one of a pair)

one-man; one-person; one-woman (designed for or restricted to a single person)

lone; lonesome; only; sole; solitary (being the only one; single and isolated from others)

singular; unique (the single one of its kind)

sui generis (constituting a class of its own; unique)

unary (consisting of or involving a single element or component)

one-member; uninominal (based on the system of having only one member from each district (as of a legislature))

Antonym:

multiple (having or involving or consisting of more than one part or entity or individual)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Not married or related to the unmarried state

Synonyms:

single; unmarried

Context example:

are you married or single?

Similar:

divorced (of someone whose marriage has been legally dissolved)

widowed (single because of death of the spouse)

unwed; unwedded (of someone who has not been married)

mateless (of someone who has no marriage partner)

Also:

unmated (not mated sexually)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Characteristic of or meant for a single person or thing

Synonyms:

individual; single

Context example:

a single bed

Similar:

unshared (not shared)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Having uniform application

Context example:

a single legal code for all

Similar:

uniform; unvarying (always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Not divided among or brought to bear on more than one object or objective

Synonyms:

exclusive; single; undivided

Context example:

gained their exclusive attention

Similar:

concentrated (gathered together or made less diffuse)

Derivation:

singleness (the quality of concentrating on one central objective)

• SINGLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they single    ... he / she / it singles   
Past simple: singled   
Past participle: singled   
-ing form: singling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Hit a single

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

the batter singled to left field

Hypernyms (to "single" is one way to...):

hit (cause to move by striking)

Domain category:

ball; baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

single (a base hit on which the batter stops safely at first base)

 Context examples 

In drug therapy, monotherapy refers to the use of a single drug to treat a disease or condition.

(Monotherapy, NCI Dictionary)

Many of them he could whip in single fight; but single fight was denied him.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

It was frozen over, but a single hole was left for the convenience of a solitary swan.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And could we carry our selfish point with you, we should leave it without a single regret.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

From the east and west only a single shot had been fired.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I should not have thought there were so many in the whole country as were brought together by that single advertisement.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He was alone and took a single third-class ticket.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

At this single point in the interior there has been, in some far distant age, a great, sudden volcanic upheaval.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Wish it she must, for his sake—be the consequence nothing to herself, but his remaining single all his life.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

If you are single, you will have so much going for you this month, especially on this day.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)