only

[ ohn-lee ]

adverb

1. without others or anything further; alone; solely; exclusively:

   This information is for your eyes only.

2. no more than; merely; just: I cook only on weekends, never on weekdays.

   If it were only true!

   I cook only on weekends, never on weekdays.

3. as recently as:

   I read that article only yesterday.

4. in the final outcome or decision:

   You will only regret your harsh words to me.

adjective

1. being the single one or the relatively few of the kind:

   This is the only pencil I can find.

   Synonyms: lone, solitary

   Antonyms: common, plentiful

2. having no sibling or no sibling of the same gender: He was their only son, but they had three daughters

   Although I had lots of cousins, I was an only child.

   He was their only son, but they had three daughters

3. single in superiority or distinction; unique; the best:

   the one and only Muhammad Ali.

   Synonyms: exclusive, peerless

conjunction

1. but (introducing a single restriction, restraining circumstance, or the like):

   I would have gone, only you objected.

2. Older Use. except; but:

   Only for him you would not be here.

only

/ ˈəʊnlɪ /

adjective

1. the only
   the only being single or very few in number

   the only men left in town were too old to bear arms

2. (of a child) having no siblings
3. unique by virtue of being superior to anything else; peerless
4. one and only
   one and only
   1. adjective incomparable; unique
   2. as noun the object of all one's love

      you are my one and only

adverb

1. without anyone or anything else being included; alone

   you have one choice only

   only a genius can do that

2. merely or just

   it's only Henry

3. no more or no greater than

   we met only an hour ago

4. (intensifier)

   it was only dreadful

   she was only marvellous

5. used in conditional clauses introduced by if to emphasize the impossibility of the condition ever being fulfilled

   if I had only known, this would never have happened

6. not earlier than; not…until

   I only found out yesterday

7. if only
   if only an expression used to introduce a wish, esp one felt to be unrealizable
8. only if
   only if never…except when
9. only too
   only too
   1. (intensifier)

      he was only too pleased to help

   2. most regrettably (esp in the phrase only too true )

sentence connector

1. but; however: used to introduce an exception or condition

   play outside: only don't go into the street

Usage Note

The placement of only as a modifier is more a matter of style and clarity than of grammatical rule. In a sentence like The doctor examined the children, varying the placement of only results in quite different meanings: The doctor only examined the children means that the doctor did nothing else. And The doctor examined only the children means that no one else was examined. Especially in formal writing, the placement of only immediately before what it modifies is often observed: She sold the stock only because she needed the money. However, there has long been a tendency in all varieties of speech and writing to place only before the verb ( She only sold the stock because she needed the money ), and such placement is rarely confusing.

Usage

In informal English, only is often used as a sentence connector: I would have phoned you, only I didn't know your number. This use should be avoided in formal writing: I would have phoned you if I'd known your number. In formal speech and writing, only is placed directly before the word or words that it modifies: she could interview only three applicants in the morning. In all but the most formal contexts, however, it is generally regarded as acceptable to put only before the verb: she could only interview three applicants in the morning. Care must be taken not to create ambiguity, esp in written English, in which intonation will not, as it does in speech, help to show to which item in the sentence only applies. A sentence such as she only drinks tea in the afternoon is capable of two interpretations and is therefore better rephrased either as she drinks only tea in the afternoon (i.e. no other drink) or she drinks tea only in the afternoon (i.e. at no other time)

Word History and Origins

Origin of only¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English ānlich, ǣnlich; one, -ly

Word History and Origins

Origin of only¹

Old English ānlīc, from ān one + -līc -ly ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. only too,
   1. as a matter of fact; extremely:

      I am only too glad to go.

   2. unfortunately; very:

      It is only too likely to happen.

More idioms and phrases containing only

• beauty is only skin deep
• have an eye (eyes only) for
• if only
• in name only
• not the only fish in the sea
• one and only

Example Sentences

Her striking new, vinyl-only single once again confirms St. Vincent's idiosyncratic talent.

From The Daily Beast

One winter night, Posho Wembore sneaked into the exclusive whites-only club of the Hotel Pourquoi Pas?

From The Daily Beast

The monogamous or safe-only gay man is a far safer bet than the unprotected hetero swinger.

From The Daily Beast

It was just what Berners-Lee had envisioned, a Web that was read-write rather than read-only.

From The Daily Beast

His supporters hosted a men-only fundraiser with this admonition on the invitation: “Tell the misses not to wait up.”

From The Daily Beast

In Captain Joseph Pelham's mind there was only-one answer to this question,—that the lad should come to him.

From Project Gutenberg

In the first place the boys all spoke to him in that specially offensive you're-only-a-little-kid sort of way.

From Project Gutenberg

He called Murgatroyd, placed him before the communicator, and set it at voice-only transmission.

From Project Gutenberg

If I had only had a pistol I would have shot him, but boy scouts don't carry pistols-only in crazy story books.

From Project Gutenberg

She'd be hopeless in a sick-room; and this is a real keep-your-distance, Sundays-only sick-room, ain't it, Sarah Gamp?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• alone