Category:Single

Sin"gle, a. Etym: [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, or 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.

Single 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.

Single Sin"gle, v. i.

Defn: 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.

Single Sin"gle, n.

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

2. pl.

Defn: the reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling to give Them firmness.

3. A handful of gleaned grain. [prov. Eng. & scot.]

4. (law tennis)

Defn: a game with but one player on each side; -- usually in the Plural.

5. (baseball)

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