Sin"gle (?), a. [L. singulus, a dim. from the root in simplex simple; cf. OE. & OF. sengle, fr. L. singulus. See Simple, and cf. Singular.]

1.

One only, as distinguished from more than one; consisting of one alone; individual; separate; as, a single star.

No single man is born with a right of controlling the opinions of all the rest. Pope.

2.

Alone; having no companion.

Who single hast maintained, Against revolted multitudes, the cause Of truth. Milton.

3.

Hence, unmarried; as, a single man or woman.

Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness. Shak.

Single chose to live, and shunned to wed. Dryden.

4.

Not doubled, twisted together, or combined with others; as, a single thread; a single strand of a rope.

5.

Performed by one person, or one on each side; as, a single combat.

These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant, . . . Who now defles thee thrice ti single fight. Milton.

6.

Uncompounded; pure; unmixed.

Simple ideas are opposed to complex, and single to compound. I. Watts.

7.

Not deceitful or artful; honest; sincere.

I speak it with a single heart. Shak.

8.

Simple; not wise; weak; silly.

[Obs.]

He utters such single matter in so infantly a voice. Beau & Fl.

Single ale, beer, ∨ drink, small ale, etc., as contrasted with double ale, etc., which is stronger. [Obs.] Nares. -- Single bill Law, a written engagement, generally under seal, for the payment of money, without a penalty. Burril. -- Single court Lawn Tennis, a court laid out for only two players. -- Single-cut file. See the Note under 4th File. -- Single entry. See under Bookkeeping. -- Single file. See under 1st File. -- Single flower Bot., a flower with but one set of petals, as a wild rose. -- Single knot. See Illust. under Knot. -- Single whip Naut., a single rope running through a fixed block.

 

© Webster 1913.


Sin"gle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Singled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Singling (?).]

1.

To select, as an individual person or thing, from among a number; to choose out from others; to separate.

Dogs who hereby can single out their master in the dark. Bacon.

His blood! she faintly screamed her mind Still singling one from all mankind. More.

2.

To sequester; to withdraw; to retire.

[Obs.]

An agent singling itself from consorts. Hooker.

3.

To take alone, or one by one.

Men . . . commendable when they are singled. Hooker.

 

© Webster 1913.


Sin"gle, v. i.

To take the irrregular gait called single-foot;- said of a horse. See Single-foot.

Many very fleet horses, when overdriven, adopt a disagreeable gait, which seems to be a cross between a pace and a trot, in which the two legs of one side are raised almost but not quite, simultaneously. Such horses are said to single, or to be single-footed. W. S. Clark.

 

© Webster 1913.


Sin"gle, n.

1.

A unit; one; as, to score a single.

2. pl.

The reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling to give them firmness.

3.

A handful of gleaned grain.

[Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

4. LawTennis

A game with but one player on each side; -- usually in the plural.

5. Baseball

A hit by a batter which enables him to reach first base only.

 

© Webster 1913.