single
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- one, distinct, individual, lone, only, separate, sole, solitary
- individual, exclusive, separate, undivided, unshared
- simple, unblended, unmixed
- unmarried, free, unattached, unwed
[verb]
Synonyms:
- usually with out: pick, choose, distinguish, fix on, pick on or out, select, separate, set apart

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Antonyms: married, multiple
Contrasted words: attached, united, wed, several, manifold, many, numerous
Related Idioms: footloose and fancy-free
Related Words: free, unattached, unfettered, celibate, maiden, virgin, individual, singular, especial, special, specific, distinguished, singled-out, distinct

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English Thesaurus: married, single, engaged, live together, separated, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. sin‧gle¹ S1 W1 /ˈsɪŋɡəl/ adjective
[Word Family: noun: single, singles, singleness, the singular, singularity; adverb: singly, singularly; adjective: single, singular]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin singulus]

1. ONE [only before noun] only one:
A single tree gave shade from the sun.
They won the game by a single point.
the highest price ever paid for a single work of art
a single-sex school (=one for only boys or girls)

2. every single used to emphasize that you are talking about every person or thing:
Don’t write down every single word I say.
He works every single day.

3. not a single no people or things at all:
The plane was brought down safely and not a single passenger was killed.
We didn’t get a single reply to the advertisement.

4. the single biggest/greatest etc used to emphasize that you are talking about the one thing that is the biggest, greatest etc:
Cigarette smoking is the single most important cause of lung cancer.
Tourism is the country’s single biggest earner.

5. NOT MARRIED not married, or not involved in a romantic relationship with anyone:
The changes in tax rates will benefit single people the most.
Is he single?

6. single bed/room etc a bed, room etc that is meant to be used by one person only:
You have to pay extra for a single room. ⇒ double¹(4)

7. TICKET British English a single ticket etc is for a trip from one place to another but not back again Synonym : one-way ⇒ return, round-trip

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. single² noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: single, singles, singleness, the singular, singularity; adverb: singly, singularly; adjective: single, singular]

1. MUSIC a CD that has only one song on it, not a number of songs, or a song which is sold in this way ⇒ album:
Have you heard their latest single?

2. SPORT
a) one run² in a game of cricket
b) a hit that allows the person who is hitting the ball to reach first base in a game of baseball

3. TENNIS singles [uncountable] a game, especially in tennis, in which one person plays on their own against another person:
I prefer playing singles.
Who won the women’s singles? ⇒ doubles at double²(3)

4. NOT MARRIED singles [plural] people who are not married and are not involved in a romantic relationship with anyone:
The show is especially popular among young singles.
a singles night at the club

5. TICKET British English a ticket for a trip from one place to another but not back again Synonym : one-way ticket American English ⇒ return:
A single to Oxford, please.

6. MONEY American English a piece of paper money worth one dollar:
Anybody have five singles?

7. ROOM a room in a hotel for just one person ⇒ double:
I’m afraid we haven’t got any singles available.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. single³ verb
single somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb
to choose one person or thing from among a group because they are better, worse, more important etc than the others
single somebody/something ↔ out for
I don’t see why he should be singled out for special treatment.
single somebody/something ↔ out as
One programme was singled out as being particularly good.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

single
noun
I. ticket
VERB + SINGLE buy, get I got a single to Birmingham.
PREP. ~ to A single to Stratford, please.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

single
II. CD, tape, etc.
ADJ. best-selling, hit | debut, first | forthcoming | latest, new
VERB + SINGLE play She was in her room playing her singles.
release (sth as) The band later released this album track as a single.
SINGLE + VERB come out
SINGLE + NOUN chart number one in the singles chart
PHRASES ~ by It was voted the best single by a solo artist.
~ from the new single from the band ‘Therapy?’

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

single
III. singles: in tennis
ADJ. junior, men's, women's
VERB + SINGLE play I prefer playing singles to doubles.
win She won the junior singles.
SINGLE + NOUN championship, final, match | champion, player | title
PHRASES in the ~ She decided not to play in the singles.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

married having a husband or wife:
How long have you been married?
a married couple
single not married:
Chris is 45 and still single.
single mothers
engaged having formally agreed to marry someone in the future:
Jane and Pete have just got engaged.
engaged couples
live together to share a home and have a sexual relationship, but not be married:
More and more couples are choosing to live together rather than get married.
separated no longer living with your husband or wife because of problems in your marriage:
I think Joan and Brian are separated now.
divorced no longer married because you have legally ended your marriage:
My parents got divorced when I was 10.
divorced men
widowed no longer married because your husband or wife has died:
He’s a widowed father of two.
husband/wife the man/woman you are married to:
My wife’s a teacher.
partner the person you live with and have a sexual relationship with. Partner is often used when people are not married, or when you do not know if they are married. It is also used when talking about same-sex couples:
He lives with his partner Ruth and their eight-month-old son.
fiancé/fiancée the man/woman you are engaged to:
He and fiancée Wendy Hodgson will marry in July.
divorcee a woman who is divorced:
The Prince announced his intention to marry Mrs Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee.
widow/widower a woman or man whose husband or wife has died:
Imelda Marcos, the widow of the former President
spouse formal your spouse is your husband or wife:
The rule applies to spouses and children of military personnel.
estranged wife/husband formal someone’s estranged husband or wife is one who they do not live with anymore:
She is trying to get her sons back from her estranged husband.
bachelor a man who has never been married:
He’s a confirmed bachelor (=a man who has decided he will never marry).
spinster old-fashioned a woman who has never been married and is no longer young:
The house was owned by an elderly spinster.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

single
ˈsɪŋɡl
See: every single

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲