one-on-one
[ wuhn-on-wuhn, -awn- ]
/ ˈwʌn ɒnˈwʌn, -ɔn- /
adjective
consisting of or involving direct individual competition, confrontation, or communication; person-to-person: a one-on-one discussion.
adverb
in direct encounter: I'd rather settle this with her one-on-one.
noun
a meeting or confrontation between two persons.
RELATED CONTENT
RELATED WORDS
showdown, contest, convention, competition, session, talk, reunion, date, encounter, confrontation, fight, duel, clash, antagonism, jealousy, strife, race, struggle, event, conflict
Nearby words
one-many, one-night stand, one-nighter, one-note, one-off, one-on-one, one-one, one-parent family, one-piece, one-point perspective, one-reeler
Idioms
go one-on-one with, Sports. to play directly against (an opposing player).
Origin of one-on-one
An Americanism dating back to 1965–70
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for one on one
one-on-one
adjective
denoting a relationship or encounter in which someone is involved with only one other persona one-on-one meeting
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Idioms and Phrases with one on one
one on one
A direct encounter between two persons, especially a conflict, as in The two department heads went one on one regarding shelf space. This slangy expression almost certainly comes from sports. It is commonly used to refer to a two-person basketball game, but is also applied to the interaction of two players on opposing teams in football, soccer, and similar team sports. [c. 1960]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.