separate, apart, or isolated from others: I want to be alone.
to the exclusion of all others or all else: One cannot live by bread alone.
unique; unequaled; unexcelled: He is alone among his peers in devotion to duty.
adverb
solitarily; solely: She prefers to live alone.
only; exclusively.
without aid or help: The baby let go of the side of the crib and stood alone.
Idioms
leave alone,
to allow (someone) to be by himself or herself: Leave him alone—he wants to rest.
to refrain from annoying or interfering with: The youngsters wouldn't leave the dog alone, and he finally turned on them.
let alone,
to refrain from annoying or interfering with.
not to mention: He was too tired to walk, let alone run.
let well enough alone, to be satisfied with the existing situation; refrain from attempting to change conditions: Marriages are often destroyed by relatives who will not let well enough alone.
1. Alone,lone,lonely,lonesome all imply being without companionship or association. Alone is colorless unless reinforced by all; it then suggests solitariness or desolation: alone in the house; all alone on an island.Lone is somewhat poetic or is intended humorously: a lone sentinel.Lonely implies a sad or disquieting feeling of isolation. Lonesome connotes emotion, a longing for companionship.
c.1300 contraction of all ane, from Old English all ana "unaccompanied, all by oneself," from all "all, wholly" (see all) + an "one" (see one). Similar compounds are found in German (allein) and Dutch (alleen).
