single
single
/ˈsɪŋɡl/
one
He sent her a single red rose.
a single-sex school (= for boys only or for girls only)
All these jobs can now be done by one single machine.
We won by a single point.
They cloned a lamb from a single cell taken from an adult sheep.
the European single currency, the euro
(British English) a single honours degree (= for which you study only one subject)
It was the work of a single individual.
The statue was carved out of a single piece of wood.
You can switch between the single-player and the multiplayer games.
for one person
a single room
The jail housed 860 prisoners in single cells.
a single sheet (= large enough for a single bed)
compare double
see also single bed
not married
(of a person) not married or having a romantic relationship with somebody
a single person/woman/man
The apartments are ideal for single people living alone.
Are you still single?
She remained single till her death.
Young people are staying single for longer.
The film stars Bening as a single mother with a teenage son.
I'm a single father and take my kids to school every morning.
see also single parent
ticket
(also one-way North American English, British English)
a single ticket, etc. can be used for travelling to a place but not back again
a single ticket
How much is the single fare to Glasgow?
compare return (7)
Topics Transport by bus and traina2, Transport by aira2
for emphasis
only before noun used to emphasize that you are referring to one particular person or thing on its own Unemployment is the single most important factor in the growing crime rates.
We eat rice every single day.
Every single one of her so-called friends had turned their backs on her.
I couldn't understand a single word she said!
Word Origin
Idioms
e.g.
Gold dust! Gold frakes! Gold nuggets! I haven't found a single thing! 砂金！金粒！金塊！どこにもねえ！ (/yupeco/『ゴールデンカムイ』1話) single
/ˈsɪŋɡl/
ticket
1 countable (British English) a ticket that allows you to travel to a place but not back again How much is a single to York?
I got a single to Birmingham.
compare return
Collocations
verb + single
preposition
single to
room
2 countable a room in a hotel, etc. for one person Singles are available from £50 per night.
compare double
unmarried people
3 singles plural people who are not married and do not have a romantic relationship with somebody else They organize parties for singles.
a singles bar/club
music
4 countable a piece of recorded music, usually popular music, that consists of one song; a CD that a single is recorded on The band releases its new single next week.
The band has yet to record a hit single.
Her catchy debut single was a hit.
This is a single from their album ‘Magic’.
Following the success of their breakthrough single, a follow-up is planned.
Her new album features her single ‘Georgia Rain’.
It was voted the best single by a solo artist.
They put out a single in time for Christmas.
number one in the singles chart
Collocations
adjective
verb + single
single + verb
come out
singles + noun
singles chart
singles collection
singles compilation
phrases
single bysingle from
money
5 countable (North American English) a note that is worth one dollar in sport
the women’s singles champion
the first round of the men’s singles
a singles match
She's won three singles titles this year.
I prefer playing singles to doubles.
She decided not to play in the singles.
She won the junior singles.
Collocations
adjective
men’s
women’s
verb + singles
singles + noun
phrases
in the single
7 countable (in cricket) a hit from which a player scores one run (= point) Topics Sports: ball and racket sportsc2
8 countable (in baseball) a hit that only allows the player to run to first base single
/ˈsɪŋɡl/
Phrasal Verbs
Word Origin
Middle English: via Old French from Latin singulus, related to simplus ‘simple’.