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Definition: Only |
OnlyAdjective1. Being the only one; single and isolated from others; "the lone doctor in the entire county"; "a lonesome pine"; "an only child"; "the sole heir"; "the sole example"; "a solitary instance of cowardice"; "a solitary speck in the sky". 2. Exclusive of anyone or anything else; "she alone believed him"; "cannot live by bread alone"; "I'll have this car and this car only". Adverb1. And nothing more; "I was merely asking"; "it is simply a matter of time"; "just a scratch"; "he was only a child"; "hopes that last but a moment". 2. Without any others being included or involved; "was entirely to blame"; "a school devoted entirely to the needs of problem children"; "he works for Mr. Smith exclusively"; "did it solely for money"; "the burden of proof rests on the prosecution alone"; "a privilege granted only to him". 3. With nevertheless the final result; "He arrived only to find his wife dead"; "We won only to lose again in the next round". 4. In the final outcome; "These news will only make you more upset". 5. Except that; "It was the same story; only this time she came out better". 6. Never except when; "call me only if your cold gets worse". 7. As recently as; "I spoke to him only an hour ago". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "only" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Literature | Only (The). Jean Paul Friedrich Richter (1763-1825). Carlyle says, "In the whole circle of literature we look in vain for his parallel." (German, Der Einzige.). Source: Brewer's Dictionary. |
Tips from 1870 | Usage: Only. Perhaps no other word in the language is so often misplaced as the word only. The only general rule is to place it as near as possible to the word which it modifies. "He only lent me a dollar" means that he did not make me a present of the dollar, but expects me to return it. "He lent me only a dollar" means that the sum lent was neither greater nor less than one dollar. The former expression is often used when the latter should be. "Only the man walked to the post-office to-day." The woman did not walk with him. "The man only walked to the post-office to-day." He did not ride or drive. "The man walked only to the post-office to-day." He did not go so far as the store. "The man walked to the post-once only to-day." Yesterday he rode and the day before he drove. Today is the only day that he walked. George Eliot, in Middlemarch, says: "I only know two gentlemen who sing at all well," and in another place, "I have only seen her once before." The word only should be placed before two in the first sentence, and before once in the second. Usage: Alone, Only. "An only child" is one that has neither brother nor sister. "A child alone" is one that is left to itself. "Virtue alone makes us happy" means that virtue unaccompanied by any other advantages is sufficient to make us happy. "Virtue only makes us happy" means that nothing else can do it. Usage: Only, Except, But. "The house was as convenient as his, only that it was a trifle smaller." Use except for only. "The field was as large as his, only the soil was less fertile." Use but for only. Source: Slips of Speech. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Unique by virtue of being superior to anything else, incomparable, unique, without anyone or anything else being included.Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Only."
Synonyms: OnlySynonyms: alone(p) (adj), lone(a) (adj), lonesome(a) (adj), only(a) (adj), sole(a) (adj), solitary(a) (adj), alone (adv), but (adv), entirely (adv), exclusively (adv), just (adv), merely (adv), only if (adv), only when (adv), simply (adv), solely (adv). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Excitability | Phrase: "cool calm and collected", keep calm in the midst of a storm; "adversity's sweet milk, philosophy"; mens aequa in arduis philosophia stemma non inspecite; quo me cumque rapit tempestas deferor hospes; "they also serve who only stand and wait". |
Identity | Facsimile; (copy); homoousia: alter ego; (similar); ipsissima verba; (exactness); same; self, very, one and the same; very thing, actual thing; real McCoy; no other; one and only; in the flesh. |
Imperfection | Indifferent, middling, ordinary, mediocre; average; so-so; coucicouci, milk and water; tolerable, fair, passable; pretty well, pretty good; rather good, moderately good; good; good enough, well enough, adequate; decent; not bad, not amiss; inobjectionable, unobjectionable, admissible, bearable, only better than nothing. |
Adverb: almost; to a limited extent, rather; pretty, moderately, passing; only, considering, all things considered, enough. | |
Misjudgment | Prejudge, forejudge; presuppose, presume, prejudicate; dogmatize; have a bias; Noun: have only one idea; jurare in verba magistri, run away with the notion; jump to a conclusion, rush to a conclusion, leap to a conclusion, judge hastily, shoot from the hip, jump to conclusions; look only at one side of the shield; view with jaundiced eye, view through distorting spectacles; not see beyond one's nose; dare pondus fumo; get the wrong sow by the ear; (blunder). |
Newness | Adverb: newly; Adjective: afresh, anew, lately, just now, only yesterday, the other day; latterly, of late. |
Pain | Phrase: surgit amari aliquid; the place being too hot to hold one; the iron entering into the soul; "he jests at scars that never felt a wound"; "I must be cruel only to be kind"; "what deep wounds ever closed without a scar?". |
Phrase: decies repePhrase: decies repetita placebit; "charms strike the sight but merit wins the soul"; "sweetness and light"; beauty is only skin deep. | |
Simpleness | Adverb: simple; Adjective: only. |
Smallness | Almost, nearly, well-nigh, short of, not quite, all but; near upon, close upon; peu s'en faut, near the mark; within an ace of, within an inch of; on the brink of; scarcely, hardly, barely, only just, no more than. about, thereabouts, somewhere about, nearly, say; be the same, be little more or less. no ways, no way, no wise; not at all, not in the least, not a bit, not a bit of it, not a whit, not a jot, not a shadow; in no wise, in no respect; by no means, by no manner of means; on no account, at no hand. |
Partially, in part; in a certain degree, to a certain degree; to a certain extent; comparatively; some, rather in some degree, in some measure; something, somewhat; simply, only, purely, merely; at least, at the least, at most, at the most; ever so little, as little as may be, tant soit peu, in ever so small a degree; thus far, pro tanto, within bounds, in a manner, after a fashion, so to speak. | |
Unity | Adverb: singly; Adjective: alone, by itself, per se, only, apart, in the singular number, in the abstract; one by one, one at a time; simply; one and a half, sesqui-. |
Wonder | Interjection: lo, lo and behold! O! heyday! halloo! what! indeed! really! surely! humph! hem! good lack, good heavens, gad so! welladay! dear me! only think! lackadaisy! my stars, my goodness! gracious goodness! goodness gracious! mercy on us! heavens and earth! God bless me! bless us, bless my heart! odzookens! O gemini! adzooks! hoity-toity! strong! Heaven save the mark, bless the mark! can such things be! zounds! 'sdeath! what on earth, what in the world! who would have thought it!; (inexpectation); you don't say so! You're kidding!. No kidding? what do you say to that! nous verrons! how now! where am I? |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Only |
| English words defined with "only": not only ♦ one and only, only if, only when. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "only": compact disk - read only memory ♦ electricity only ♦ heat only ♦ read only memory ♦ twisted pair only. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "only": viper. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Only" is also a word in the following languages with English translations in parentheses. Pidgin English (only), Russian (kendo). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Once you have frozen mankind, these babies will overrun the globe, and we shall rule them, for we will be the only two people left in the world (Batman & Robin; writing credit: Akiva Goldsman) only try to realize the truth (The Matrix; writing credit: Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski.) Remember to tell them it was only a bloody game (Sleuth; writing credit: Anthony Shaffer) Look Hildy, I only acted like any husband that didn't want his home broken up. (His Girl Friday; writing credit: Ben Hecht; Charles MacArthur) What can I do, I'm only a shadow (Singin' in the Rain; writing credit: Betty Comden; Adolph Green) | |
Lyrics | Yeah only in America (Only In America; performing artist: Brooks & Dunn) We've only just begun to live (We've Only Just Begun; performing artist: Carpenters) She was only sixteen, only sixteen (Only Sixteen; performing artist: DR. HOOK) Want to stay, if only I could take you in my arms and say, I won't go cuz I (If Only; performing artist: Hanson) I'll only pout at you until I get my way (Only Wanna Be With You; performing artist: Hootie & The Blowfish) | |
Clever | The only thing chicken about Israel is their soup. (references; author: Bob Hope) I don't give a damn for man that can spell a word only one way. (references; author: Mark Twain) Only the brave deserve the fair, but only rich, fat, cowardly merchants can afford same. (references; author: Chinese Proverb) Every man goes down to his death bearing in his hands only that which he has given away. (references; author: Persian Proverb) Two wrongs are only the beginning. (references; author: unknown) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Rod Steele 0014: You Only Live Until You Die (2002) Only You (2001) If You Only Knew (2000) It's Only Me - Whoever I Am (1974) Dying Room Only (1973) | |
Song Titles | Only Love Can Break A Heart (performing artist: Gene Pitney) It Could Only Happen On Halloween (performing artist: Gregory's Funhouse) If Only (performing artist: Hanson) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU (performing artist: Hootie & Blowfish ) Only Wanna Be With You (performing artist: Hootie & The Blowfish) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
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Theater & Movies | |||
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High Tech |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Pictured here is an experimental animal being held by a technician. Only the technician's hands and the animal are visible. The technician measures the size of a reaction of the animal due to a recent injection. A measuring device is being used to achieve the measurement. This may have been a test for the possible carcinogenic effect of a chemical. Credit: Linda Bartlett (photographer). |  | Seen is a lab technician performing a step in the estrogen receptor assay. She is placing some liquid in test vials and inspecting them. In some slides only her hands and the vials are visible. The results of this test indicate whether removal of ovaries or antiestrogen drugs is the likely therapy. Credit: Linda Bartlett (photographer). |
 | If only one pair of siphonal tufts, or hairs is present, the specimen is classified as a member of one of three possible genre, Aedes, Uranotaenia or Psorophora. Credit: CDC. |  | Deinocerites has characteristic pouches on the sides of the head. Members of this genus breed only in crab holes containing standing water. Credit: CDC. |
 | Located about 130 million light-years away, NGC 4650A is one of only 100 known polar-ring ... Credit: NASA. |  | Massive clouds of gas, discovered long ago but only recently identified as being within the ... Credit: NASA. |
 | Surface photographs from the Soviet Venera 9 and 10 spacecraft. The Soviet Venera 9 and 10 spacecraft were launched on 8 and 14 June 1975, respectively,to do the unprecedented: place a lander on the surface of Venus and return images.The two spacecraft successfully landed a descent craft on 16 and 23 October 1975.These images were obtained on 22 and 25 October 1975. Venera 9 landed on a slopeinclined by about 30 degrees to the horizontal whereas Venera 10 was only inclinedabout 8 degrees. The two spacecraft were separated by about 2100 km. Most of the rocks in the images are between about 0.3 and 1 meter. Credit: NASA. |  | Akpatok Island lies in Ungava Bay in northern Quebec, Canada. Accessible only by air, Akpatok Island rises out of the water as sheer cliffs that soar 500 to 800 feet (150 to 243km) above the sea surface. The island is an important sanctuary for cliff-nesting seabirds. Numerous ice floes around the island attract walrus and whales, making Akpatok a traditional hunting ground for native Inuit people. Credit: NASA. |
 | Spanning the southern tip of the Florida Peninsula and most of Florida Bay, Everglades National Park is the only subtropical preserve in North America. It is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles exist side by side. Credit: NASA. |  | Hawaiian monk seal - Monachus schauinslandi. Tagging operations conducted under the auspices of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. Techniques were being developed at this time as this was only the second time that any Hawaiian Monk seals were tagged. Other than for needs of scientific studies, human interaction with protected species should be minimized. Credit: NOAA's Ark (Animals). |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
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| "Parking only" by Greg O'Connor Commentary: "Parking only sign." | "My Only Son" by Steve Boaz Commentary: "Grave Stone." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Author | Quotation |
Count Leo Tolstoy | Only those live who do good. |
Epictetus | Only the educated are free. |
Ethan Allen | Reason the only oracle of man. |
Henry David Thoreau | The only wealth is life. |
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe | Only law can give us freedom. |
| Wisdom is found only in truth. | |
John Gay | We only part to meet again. |
Leona Helmsley | Only little people pay taxes. |
Pierre Corneille | I owe my fame only to myself. |
Ralph Waldo Emerson | Only poetry inspires poetry. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Author | Date | Quotation |
Magna Carta | 1215 | Earls and barons shall not be amerced except through their peers, and only in accordance with the degree of the offense. (reference) |
John Locke | 1690 | They are ready to tell you, that it deserves death only to ask after safety. (Second Treatise of Government) |
US Declaration of Independence | 1776 | In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. (reference) |
US Constitution | 1791 | Clause 1: Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. (reference) |
Marbury v. Madison | 1803 | Ought the judges to close their eyes on the constitution, and only see the law? (reference) |
Communist Manifesto | 1848 | Now and then the workers are victorious, but only for a time. (reference) |
Treaty of Versailles | 1919 | Only a local gendarmerie for the maintenance of order may be established. (reference) |
Winston S. Churchill | 1946 | In such a matter we can only go step by step, but we must begin now. ("Iron Curtain" Speech) |
United Nations | 1948 | Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses. (reference) |
Brown v. Board of Education | 1954 | Only in this way can it be determined if segregation in public schools deprives these plaintiffs of the equal protection of the laws. (reference) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Title | Author | Quote |
The Little Prince | Antoine de Saint-Exupery | It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; What is essential is invisible to the eye. |
Emma | Austen, Jane | It would only be giving trouble and distress |
Sylvie and Bruno Concluded | Carroll, Lewis | However, he did see only two Foxes |
A Christmas Carol | Dickens, Charles | If he could only be there first, and catch Bob Cratchit coming late |
Scarlet Letter | Hawthorne, Nathaniel | At the instant, I was only conscious that what would have been a pleasure once was now a hopeless toil |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | Juvenal and Tacitus only reject it. |
The Hind and the Panther | John Dryden | For truth has such a face and such a mien, As to be lov'd needs only to be seen |
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man | Joyce, James | They were like poetry but they were only sentences to learn the spelling from |
King Richard III | Shakespeare, William | Her life is safest only in her birth |
Grapes of Wrath | Steinbeck, John | Yes, but the bank is only made of men. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Humans only known reservoir. (references) | |
Take only prescribed medicines. (references) | ||
The disorder affects only females. (references) | ||
Business | Only half a dozen are wholesalers. (references) | |
Some purchase only branded gift items. (references) | ||
Of these, only 2% buy over the Internet. (references) | ||
Children | Ecuador | Only 51 percent of teenagers attend school. (references) |
Equatorial Guinea | Only 9 percent of girls finish fifth grade. (references) | |
Cote d'Ivoire | Many children leave school after only a few years. (references) | |
Civil Liberties | Cote d'Ivoire | Only one broadcasts nationwide. (references) |
Macedonia | Only a citizen may establish a religious group. (references) | |
Macau | Only seven Vietnamese refugees remain in the SAR. (references) | |
Discrimination | Ecuador | Congress has been only partially successful in carrying out this mandate. (references) |
Hong Kong | The Bill of Rights Ordinance, which provides for the incorporation into law of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as applied to Hong Kong, entitles residents to the civil and political rights recognized therein "without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status." However, the ordinance binds only the Government, public authorities and persons acting on their behalf; that is, not private persons or entities. (references) | |
Economic History | Kenya | Only six are operational. (references) |
Human Rights | Malawi | Only 19 juveniles were in detention. (references) |
Kenya | Only one prison health facility had a resident doctor. (references) | |
Guatemala | In only 29 cases have sentences have been handed down. (references) | |
Indigenous People | Malaysia | Two NGOs criticized the fact that only 5 out of 17 council members are Orang Asli. (references) |
Bangladesh | Ninety-one persons were accused of involvement in the attack, but only four were arrested. (references) | |
Bangladesh | The Accord also provided that only "permanent residents" of the Chittagong Hill Tracts would be allowed to vote. (references) | |
Minorities | Romania | The perpetrator was identified in only one case. (references) |
Germany | Specific mention is made only of the desecration of Jewish graves or cemeteries. (references) | |
Israel and the occupied territories | Critics also pointed out that only half of the total sum represented newly allocated money. (references) | |
Political Economy | PANAMA | The balboa circulates in coins only. (references) |
HUNGARY | Only Hungarian citizens may own farmland. (references) | |
MEXICO | Only Mexican citizens may own gasoline stations. (references) | |
Political Rights | Guatemala | Only 20 percent of the electorate voted. (references) |
Albania | In Parliament only 8 of 140 members were female. (references) | |
Kyrgyz Republic | Women held only 7 of 105 seats in the legislature. (references) | |
Trade | Austria | For food products the VAT is 10% only. (references) |
Uzbekistan | Likewise claims may only be paid in soum. (references) | |
Egypt | IDA credits are made only to governments. (references) | |
Travel | Thailand | Purpose of visit: for tourism only. (references) |
Ghana | You should only drink bottled water. (references) | |
Chad | Foreign currency can be exchanged for FCFA only. (references) | |
Women | Bosnia and Herzegovina | The judge ordered only a $407 (900 KM) fine. (references) |
Lebanon | Only religious authorities may perform marriages. (references) | |
Algeria | Women constitute only 10 percent of the work force. (references) | |
Worker Rights | Sierra Leone | This practice exists only in rural areas. (references) |
Tunisia | A union may be dissolved only by court order. (references) | |
Singapore | Many contracts allow only 1 day off per month. (references) | |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | PEACE, n. In international affairs, a period of cheating between two periods of fighting. O, what's the loud uproar assailing Mine ears without cease? 'Tis the voice of the hopeful, all-hailing The horrors of peace. Ah, Peace Universal; they woo it -- Would marry it, too. If only they knew how to do it 'Twere easy to do. They're working by night and by day On their problem, like moles. Have mercy, O Heaven, I pray, On their meddlesome souls! Ro Amil |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Phrase(s) |
Dennis Miller | You're not the only person on this planet. |
Diane Sawyer | Right, because I asked for a Kleenex and it was the only thing you had in house at this fine establishment, as I recall. |
Gene Wilder | Whatever anyone might have read in the book, that was only the start. It got much worse after that. It was very difficult. |
Heather Mills McCartney | I didn't know any different. It's only like looking back on it I realize it was a very sort of strange life. |
Linda Thompson | Met Priscilla. But only a couple of times. Priscilla was really not on the scene as much as people might assume. |
Priscilla Presley | The Dream Foundation is equivalent to the Make-A-Wish foundation for children, only this is for terminally ill adults. |
Rush Limbaugh | I'm tired of being the only voice pointing this stuff out. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
George Washington | 1789-1797 | Hitherto defensive precautions only have been strictly enjoined and observed. |
Herbert C. Hoover | 1929-1933 | Self-government can succeed only through an instructed electorate. |
Harry S. Truman | 1945-1953 | Production is the only fully effective answer. |
Dwight Eisenhower | 1953-1961 | Labor sweats to create--and turns out devices to level not only mountains but also cities. |
John F. Kennedy | 1961-1963 | Neither money nor technical assistance, however, can be our only weapon against poverty. |
Richard Nixon | 1969-1974 | To find that answer, we need only look within ourselves. |
Ronald Reagan | 1981-1989 | Well, too often it has only made poverty harder to escape. |
George Bush | 1989-1993 | Among the nations of the world, only the United States of America has had both the moral standing, and the means to back it up. |
Bill Clinton | 1993-2001 | Balancing the budget requires only your vote and my signature. |
George W. Bush | 2001-2005 | Homeland security will make America not only stronger, but, in many ways, better. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Only" is generally used as an adverb (general) -- approximately 82.48% of the time. "Only" is used about 140,489 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adverb (general) | 82.48% | 115,871 | 84 |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 17.52% | 24,615 | 346 |
| Total | 100.00% | 140,489 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes names derived from the word "only". | |||
| Name | Gender | Language | Meaning |
| Bedaiah | N/A | Biblical | The only Lord |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references.
| |||
| Country | Name |
| USA | 99 Cents Only Stores |
| (more examples...) |
Source: compiled by the editor from Icon Group International, Inc.
1. Only, TN |
Expressions using "only": accident having only a medical origin ♦ accident involving one vehicle only ♦ adults only ♦ an only child ♦ be only a few removes from ♦ be only half listening ♦ be only just ♦ beauty is only skin deep ♦ electricity only ♦ for adults only ♦ for external application only ♦ for official use only ♦ god's only begotten son ♦ ha ha only serious ♦ had i only known! ♦ have only one's sunday best to wear ♦ have only to ♦ heat only ♦ heaven only knows ♦ heaven only knows! ♦ his only one and only object ♦ i only want you to be happy ♦ i was only fooling ♦ i will stay only ♦ if only ♦ if only because ♦ if only could! ♦ if only you could have seen him! ♦ i'm only care about her ♦ in name only ♦ it is his only saving grace ♦ it is only a wild guess ♦ it was only just ♦ man is the only risible animal ♦ not only ♦ not only ... but ♦ not only ... but also ♦ not only this ♦ once only ♦ one and only ♦ only a few ♦ only begotten ♦ only better than nothing ♦ only child ♦ only daughter ♦ only fit for scrap ♦ only for you ♦ only from day to day ♦ only god knows ♦ only if ♦ only just ♦ only just barely ♦ only now ♦ only once ♦ only one ♦ only one or two ♦ only one person ♦ only so ♦ only son ♦ only that ♦ only think! ♦ only too ♦ only when ♦ only yesterday ♦ parking for residents only ♦ pedestrian traffic only ♦ pedestrian trafic only ♦ pick up only ♦ programmable read only memory ♦ programmable read only memory monitor ♦ read only ♦ read only memory ♦ residents only ♦ the only ♦ the only begotten of the farther ♦ the only one ♦ the only that i like ♦ the only way out of it ♦ twisted pair only. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "only": Only-be, only-black, only-childhood, only-groups, only-just, only-known, only-possible, only-the, only-their. | |
Ending with "only": accommodation-only, adults-only, blacks-only, documents-only, driver-only, execution-only, fees-only, fish-only, freight-only, girls-only, interest-only, invitation-only, labour-only, lead-only, male-only, men-only, once-only, pedestrian-only, pentium-only, prescription-only, software-only, teen-only, text-only, whites-only, women-only. | |
Containing "only": Compact Disc Read-Only Memory, Electrically Alterable Programmable Read-Only Memory, Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, finish-it-in-thirty-days-using-only-domestic-handtools, Flash Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, get-away-from-only-a-bit-of-it, IF-AND-ONLY-IF, I-only-paint, it's-only-your-age, Mask Read-Only Memory, One Time Programmable Read-Only Memory, pedestrian-only street, pretty-little-feather-brained-only-good-for-one-thing-bimbo-know-nothing-woman's-head, Programmable Read-Only Memory, read-only file, read-only memory, read-only memory chip, read-only storage, read-only user, read-only-memory, when-you've-had-a-number-one-the-only-way-is-down, write-only code, write-only language, write-only memory. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
only you movie | 1,864 | drink only she she smoke when | 195 |
i can only imagine | 1,163 | hope mandy moore only | 156 |
interest only mortgage | 496 | only you | 150 |
interest only loan | 414 | only teen tgp | 146 |
adult only | 401 | man only | 132 |
cruise only | 361 | only time | 129 |
kid only | 357 | hope lyrics mandy moore only | 127 |
one and only | 350 | only teenz tgp | 124 |
the only girl | 296 | mercy me i can only imagine | 122 |
the only hope | 292 | atlanta georgia in interest loan only | 119 |
only teenz | 288 | 99 cent only store | 116 |
only thong | 282 | only child | 115 |
can i imagine lyrics only | 281 | best movie only | 110 |
can i imagine lyrics mercyme only | 247 | interest only mortgage loan | 106 |
only | 235 | lyrics only | 103 |
teen boy only | 234 | member only jacket | 101 |
hope lyrics only | 234 | movies.com only | 100 |
only you video | 214 | enya lyrics only time | 100 |
chat kid only | 209 | had i if nerve only | 100 |
book hun mark only page yellow | 204 | only fool and horse | 97 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Translations for "only"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Afrikaans | slegs (alone, exclusively, just, solely), net (alone, exactly, exclusively, just, just now, okay, right, solely), enigste (alone, sole, solitary), alleen (alone, exclusively, just, sole, solely, solitary), pas (be appropriate, be suitable, clothe, conform, dress, Easter, exclusively, fit, fit in, just, suit), allenig (alone, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Albanian | vetëm (alone, but, exclusively, just, lonely, merely, nothing but, simply, singly, so that, sole, solely, solitary, solus). (various references) | |
Arabic | مجرد (freed, no more than), في النهاية (at the latest, in the end, ultimately, yet), فقط (just, merely, no more, nothing else, simply, solely), ليس فقط, لكن (but, however, nevertheless, probably, yours), وحيد (alone, exclusive, lone, lonesome, one, one and only, private, single, solitary, unique), و مع ذلك, تذكرة لشخص واحد, الوحيد. (various references) | |
Breton | nemet (minus), hepken. (various references) | |
Bulgarian | само че, само (auto, barely, but, entirely, just, merely, nothing but, purely, simply, solely), но (but, yet), не се превежда (off, on, out, over, suppose, that, very, worse), най-добър (best, optimum, picked, topflight, tops), единствен (one, single, singular, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Catalan | només, única. (various references) | |
Chinese | 只 (but, just, merely, single). (various references) | |
Croatian | samo. (various references) | |
Czech | pouze (alone, just, merely, nothing but, purely, simply), jen (just, yen). (various references) | |
Danish | kun (alone, exclusively, just, solely), alene (alone, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Dutch | alleen (alone, exclusively, just, one at a time, single, singly, sole, solely, solitary), slechts (alone, exclusively, just, solely), pas (exclusively, just, just now, pace, pass, passport, step, stride), maar (alone, but, exclusively, however, just, nevertheless, solely, untranslated here, yet), enkel (ankle, exclusively, just, mere, single, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Esperanto | nur (exclusively, just). (various references) | |
Estonian | vaid, ainult. (various references) | |
Faeroese | einsliga (alone, just, solely), einsamallur (alone, sole, solitary), bert (alone, exclusively, just, solely). (various references) | |
Farsi | فقطبخاطر, فقط (Alone, But, Mere), یگانه (One, Sole, Unique), منحصرا, محض (Downright, Mere, Sheer, Strict), تنها (Alone, Exclusive, Just, Lone, Lonely, Mere, Recluse, Single, Sole, Solitary, Unaccompanied), عمده (Chief, Dominant, Essential, Gross, Head, Main, Major, Material, On, Predominant, Primary, Prime, Principal, Significant), صرفا (Alone, Downright), بیگانه (Abroad, Alien, Barbarian, Barbarous, Exotic, Gringo, Outsider, Strange, Stranger), بس (Enough). (various references) | |
Finnish | vain (alone, but, exclusively, just, merely, solely), yksin (alone, by oneself, sole, solitary), vasta (a while ago, but, just now, not until, whisk of birch twigs), ainoastaan (alone, exclusively, just, merely, solely). (various references) | |
Flemish | slechts, maar (but), alleen. (various references) | |
French | seulement, seul (only one), uniquement, ne ... que. (various references) | |
French Canadian | seulement, que (as, not, that, What, which). (various references) | |
Frisian | allinne (alone, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Galician | só. (various references) | |
German | nur (alone, exclusively, just, mere, merely, on earth, simply, singly, solely), lediglich (entirely, exclusively, just, merely, simply), erst (as recently as, at first, exclusively, first, first of all, firstly, foremost, just, not until), einzig (absolute, alone, complete, exclusive, lone, single, singly, sole, solely, solitary, unique), bloß (alone, bare, exclusively, just, mere, merely, naked, nude, pure, purely, sheer, simply, sole, solely, solitary, very), allein (alon, alone, but, by itself, by oneself, exclusively, however, just, lonely, lonesome, on its own, on smb.'s own, private, reclusive, single handed, sole, solely, solitary, unaccompanied, unaided, unassisted, unescorted). (various references) | |
Greek | μόνο (mere, simply, solely). (various references) | |
Guarani | mante. (various references) | |
Haitian Creole | sèlman. (various references) | |
Hawaiian | vetëm (alone, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Hebrew | בלבד (just, merely, solely, very). (various references) | |
Hungarian | csak (alone, but, exclusively, just, merely, nothing short of, simply, solely), egyetlen (one, single, singular, sole, unique), egyedüli (bare, lone, mere, single, singular, sole, solitary), csupán (but, merely, simply), azonban (after all, at the same time, but, however, natheless, nathless, nevertheless). (various references) | |
Icelandic | einn (alone, one, sole, solitary), einmana (alone, sole, solitary), aleinn (alone, sole, solitary), aðeins. (various references) | |
Indonesian | melulu (exclusively), melainkan (but (rather), except for), esa (one, single), doang (no more than), cuman, cuma (but, merely), belaka (entirely, just, mere, quite, simply). (various references) | |
Irish | murach. (various references) | |
Italian | soltanto (alone, but, exclusively, just, merely, solely), solo (alone, just, lone, lonely, lonesome, mere, single, sole, solidly, solitary, unaccompanied, unique, very), unico (alone, isolated, lonely, nonpareil, one, one only, reclusive, single, sole, unescorted, unique), unicamente (alone, just, solely), solamente (alone, just, merely, sheerly, solely). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 唯一 (sole, unique). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | のみ , ゆいいつ (sole, unique), ゆいつ (sole, unique), オンリ , オンリー , わずか (a little, merely, small quantity), いっぽう (in turn, information, meanwhile, on the other hand, one direction, one party, one side, one way, simple, the other party), いつに (entirely, or, solely), だけ (as, just), ほんの (just, mere), たった (but, merely, no more than), ばかり (approximately, just, merely, nothing but), ばっかり , きり (all there is, auger, bounds, closing sentence, drill, end, fog, limits, mist, paulownia tree, period, place to leave off, since), そこそこ (about, no more than, or so), ただ (common, free of charge, mere, sole, usual), ただに (merely, simply), ただただ (absolutely, emphatic modifier), たんに (merely, simply, solely), にすぎない (just, no more than). (various references) | |
Korean | 다만 (just). (various references) | |
Lombard | in de per luu (alone, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Luxembourgish | nëmmen. (various references) | |
Malagasy | afa-tsy. (various references) | |
Malay | sendiri (alone, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Manx | ynrican (absolute, alone, particular, single, sole), unrick, agh (albeit, but, except; steed, less, riding horse). (various references) | |
Norwegian | alene (alone, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Papiamen | solamente (alone, exclusively, just, solely), so (alone, sole, solitary), djis (alone, exclusively, just, solely). (various references) | |
Pidgin English | only. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | onlyay.(various references) | |
Polish | tylko (exclusively, just), sam (alone, herself, himself, itself, self, sole, solitary), dopiero (exclusively, just). (various references) | |
Portuguese | somente (but, exclusively, just, solely), só (alone, barely, but, cloistered, exclusively, just, lone, lonely, lonesome, lorn, mere, single, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Portuguese Brazilian | somente, só (just), há (ago, exists, there is). (various references) | |
Quechua | tumpallataraq (only a little so far). (various references) | |
Romanian | numai (alone, barely, but, exclusively, just, mere, merely, none but, simply, solely), singur (a, alone, by, by oneself, herself, himself, isolated, itself, lone, lonely, lonesome, mateless, naked, single, sole, solely, solitary, solo, yourself, yourselves). (various references) | |
Russian | только единственный, только (as late as, barely, ever, exclusively, just, merely, nothing but, solely), всего-навсего, единственный (single, singular, sole, the only), единственно (exclusively, solely), лишь (but, little more than, little more then), исключительный (exceptional, exceptive, exclusive, out of the ordinary, out of the way, sole, surpassing, transcendent), исключительно (exceptionally, exclusively, notably, singularly, solely). (various references) | |
Scottish | mhàin , a mhàin, mhàin (alone : am fear sin a mhàin), a mhàin. (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | tek (just), samo što, samo (but, just, merely), jedini (mono-, one, only: the only, single, sole). (various references) | |
Slovene | samo, le (just, these). (various references) | |
Spanish | solamente (alone, but, just, solely), sólo (alone, by oneself, exclusively, just, merely, on one's own, solely, unique), solo (a, all alone, alone, lone, lonely, lonesome, mere, neat, one, single, singular, sole, solitary, solo), único (a, alone, exclusive, non-recurring, one, one off, only thing, single, singular, sole, solitary, unique). (various references) | |
Sranan | kodo (exclusively, just). (various references) | |
Swahili | tu (alone, exclusively, just, solely). (various references) | |
Swedish | endast (alone, but, entirely, exclusively, just, merely, solely), bara (alone, exclusively, if only, just, merely, provided, so long as, solely), blott (alone, bare, but, exclusively, if only, just, mere, merely, solely), enda (exclusive, one, only thing, single, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
Tagalog | lang (just), lamang, lámang (alone, exclusively, just, solely). (various references) | |
Tahitian | noa. (various references) | |
Thai | แต่ (but), เพียงแค่ (just), เพิ่งจะ (just), เท่านั้น, ที่เป็นลูกโทน, ที่เป็นคนหรือสิ่งเดียว. (various references) | |
Tswana | fela (just). (various references) | |
Turkish | sadece (barely, but, exclusively, hardly, itself, just, merely, nigh but, nothing but, nothing else, only just, purely, scarcely, simply, solely), ancak (alone, barely, but, exclusively, hardly, however, just, merely, nevertheless, on the other hand, only just, purely, scarcely, solely, yet). (various references) | |
Turkmen | яeke (alone, lone), diсe, birlik (oneness, unit). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | якби (if), єдино (alone), єдиний (last, mere, one, only begotten, single, singular, sole), тільки (alone, barely, but, entirely, exclusively, just, merely, nothing but, purely), коли б (supposing), винятково (notably, rare, rarely), винятковий (egregious, especial, exceptional, exceptive, exclusive, particular, preternatural, single, singular, surpassing), видатний (big time, conspicuous, egregious, eminent, extant, laureate, leading, notable, noted, outstanding, pre eminent, prominent, remarkable, shining, signal, stellar, transcendent, walloping), найбільш підхожий (best), але (albeit, and, but, yet), лише (alone, barely, merely). (various references) | |
Vietnamese | duy nhất tốt nhất, chỉ có một (unique), chỉ (but, indicatory, merely, thread, winding, winding-off, winding-on), đáng xét nhất. (various references) | |
Welsh | ond (but, except, save), unig (alone, lonely, sole), un (any, one, same), dim ond. (various references) | |
Wolof | rekk, kese. (various references) | |
Yucatec | hun (alone, sole, solitary), chen (alone, exclusively, just, solely). (various references) | |
Zulu | kuphela (exclusively, just), -dwa (alone, sole, solitary). (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Sumerian | 3100 BCE-2500 BCE | dili. (various references) |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | modo, solum, solus, tantum. (various references) |
| Avestan | 200-600 | aêva. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Language | Date | Source | Proverbs Chapter 25, Verse 16 |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Mel invenisti comede quod sufficit tibi ne forte saturatus evomas illud |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | Hony thou hast founden, ett that suffiseth to thee; lest parauenture fulfild thou spewe it out. |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled with it, and vomit it. |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | If you have honey, take only as much as is enough for you; for fear that, being full of it, you may not be able to keep it down. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Proverbs Chapter 25, Verse 16 |
| Cebuano | ¶ Nakakaplag ba ikaw ug dugos? kumaon ka sumala sa igo kanimo, Tingali unya ikaw mabusog ug magasuka niana. |
| Croatian | Kad naiðeš na med, jedi umjereno, kako se ne bi prejeo i pojedeno izbljuvao. |
| Danish | Finder du Honning, så spis til Behov, at du ikke bliver mæt og igen spyr den ud. |
| Dutch | Hebt gij honig gevonden, eet dat u genoeg is; opdat gij misschien daarvan niet zat wordt, en dien uitspuwt. |
| Finnish | Jos hunajata löydät, syö kohtuudella, ettet kyllästyisi siihen ja sitä oksentaisi. |
| French | Si tu trouves du miel, n`en mange que ce qui te suffit, De peur que tu n`en sois rassasié et que tu ne le vomisses. |
| German | Findest du Honig, so iß davon, so viel dir genug ist, daß du nicht zu satt wirst und speiest ihn aus. |
| Hungarian | Ha mézet találsz, egyél a mennyi elég néked; de sokat ne egyél, hogy ki ne hányd azt. |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | Jangan makan madu banyak-banyak; nanti engkau menjadi muak. |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | Sudahkah engkau mendapat air madu, makanlah seberapa banyak yang patut, asal jangan engkau terlalu kenyang, lalu engkau muntahkan dia pula; |
| Italian | Se hai trovato il miele, mangiane quanto ti basta, per non esserne nauseato e poi vomitarlo. |
| Maori | ¶ Kua kitea e koe he honi? Kainga ko te wahi e makona ai koe; kei ki rawa koe i taua mea, ka ruakina e koe. |
| Norwegian | Har du funnet honning, så et av den det du trenger, forat du ikke skal bli lei av den og spy den ut! |
| Portuguese | Se achaste mel, come somente o que te basta, para que porventura não te fartes dele, e o venhas a vomitar. |
| Rumanian | Dacq dai peste miere, nu mknca deckt atkt ckt kyi ajunge, ca sq nu yi se sckrbeascq wi s`o verwi din gurq. - |
| Russian | оБЫЕМ ФЩ НЕД, --ЕЫШ, УЛПМШЛП ФЕВЕ РПФТЕВОП, ЮФПВЩ ОЕ РТЕУЩФЙФШУС ЙН Й ОЕ ЙЪВМЕЧБФШ ЕЗП. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Derivations | |
Words ending with "only": commonly, curmudgeonly, matronly, patronly, sonly, uncommonly, wantonly. (additional references) | |
| |
"Only" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: anly, Bonlieu, honly, lonly, nonly, noply, oany, obly, ohly, Ojl, oln, Olnyk, oly, onay, ondy, onelie, oney, onil, onl, onlay, onle, Onley, Onlf, onli, onlpy, onlt, onluy, onlywey, onny, onoy, onply, onry, onty, onxy, On'y, Onye, onym, orli, orly, orny, Osley, owly, ozl, ponly, Unld, unsly, Vonjy. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "only" (pronounced ō"nlē) |
| 4 | ō" n l ē | lonely. |
| 3 | -n l ē | benignly, brazenly, certainly, clandestinely, cleanly, commonly, keenly, divinely, evenly, finely, gentlemanly, genuinely, greenly, heavenly, humanely, humanly, mainly, manly, matronly, mistakenly, obscenely, openly, plainly, slovenly, sternly, stubbornly, suddenly, thinly, uncertainly, uncommonly, unevenly, ungainly, vainly, wantonly. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "l-n-o-y" | |
-1 letter: yon. | |
-2 letters: lo, no, on, oy, yo. | |
| Words containing the letters "l-n-o-y" | |
+1 letter: loony, nobly, noily, nonyl, nylon, pylon, sonly. | |
+2 letters: colony, felony, fondly, knolly, lemony, lonely, longly, looney, loungy, nonyls, nosily, nylons, openly, phylon, poleyn, pylons, unholy. | |
+3 letters: acyloin, aglycon, alimony, allonym, almonry, analogy, anolyte, anomaly, balcony, baloney, benomyl, benzoyl, boloney, bonnily, cloying, condyle, cornily, cyclone, daylong, elytron, enology, felonry, flouncy, halcyon, hornily, ignobly, indoxyl, jointly, knobbly, linkboy, looneys, lysogen, monthly, moonily, neology, nobbily, nodally, noisily, nonoily, nonplay, notably, notedly, novelly, novelty, panoply, phonily, ploying, poleyns, polyene, polygon, polynya, polynyi, pronely, roundly, snowily, soundly, stonily, synodal, thionyl, tonally, tylosin, ungodly, womanly, wrongly, yodling, yowling, zonally. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Images: Digital Art | 9. Quotations: Familiar 10. Quotations: Historic 11. Quotations: Fiction 12. Quotations: Non-fiction | 13. Quotations: Spoken 14. Quotations: Speeches 15. Usage Frequency 16. Names: Derived from | 17. Names: Company Usage 18. Cities 19. Expressions 20. Expressions: Internet | 21. Translations: Modern 22. Translations: Ancient 23. Bible Trace 24. Derivations | 25. Rhymes 26. Anagrams 27. Bibliography |
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