Etymologically
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once

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /wʌn(t)s/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English ones, earlier anes (1131, in the Peterborough Chronicle),[2] the genitive of on or an (“one”) used as an adverb.[2][3][4] RHWU and Chambers trace this genitive back to Old English ānes.[5][3] It replaced the Old English adverb ǣne (“once”) and its Middle English successor enes, which held out until about 1500.[2][4][5] When the word lost its second syllable after about 1300, the voiceless final -s was respelled -ce, as in hence and pence,[6][2] and the w- pronunciation developed as in one.[6][2] Comparable forms are Middle Dutch eenes, Middle High German eines and modern German einst.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

At one time, on one occasion (about 1122 in the OED, now obsolete)[7] and one time only (about 1200).[7][6] Barnhart's earliest form is anes in 1131.[2]

Semantic evolution

From the mid-13th century once also meant “at some time in the past, formerly”, without the idea of a single time.[6] In conditional and negative clauses it came to mean “ever, at all” (if you once forget it),[7][8] and never once “not at all” is early 13th century.[6] At once first meant “simultaneously” (early 13th century) and was often written as one word; its modern sense “immediately” dates from the 1530s.[6] Once upon a time as the opening of a story is from the 1590s, after earlier once on a time (late 14th century),[6] and once for all (late 15th century) was later expanded to once and for all (1848).[6] The adjective “former” is dated 1620 by MWU and the HTOED,[9][10] and 1691 by Barnhart and MW.[2][11] The conjunction “as soon as” is dated about 1300 by Barnhart,[2] 1747 by MWU and the HTOED,[9][10] and 1761 by MW.[11] The emphatic once of some American speech is a Pennsylvania German dialect use.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 1122 – at one time, on one occasion (obsolete).[7]
  • 1131 – anes (Peterborough Chronicle).[2]
  • c. 1175 – ever, at all, in conditional and negative clauses.[7]
  • c. 1200 – one time only.[7][6]
  • early 13th century – never once, and at once meaning simultaneously.[6]
  • mid-13th century – formerly, at some past time.[6]
  • late 14th century – once on a time.[6]
  • 1523 – in the first place, firstly (obsolete).[7][10]
  • 1530s – at once, immediately.[6]
  • 1590s – once upon a time.[6]
  • 1620 – adjective, former.[9][10]
  • 1747 – conjunction, as soon as.[9][10]
  • 1781 – once in a while.[6]
  • 1848 – once and for all.[6]
  • 1915 – once-over, a quick look (American).[2]

Modern meaning

Adverb

  1. On one occasion only; one time: once a week.
  2. At some time in the past; formerly.
  3. Ever, at all, in conditional and negative clauses: she never once looked back.
  4. By one degree of relationship: a cousin once removed.
  5. Multiplied by one.

Noun

  1. A single time or occasion: just this once.

Conjunction

  1. As soon as; when: once you start, you can't stop.

Adjective

  1. Former: the once champion.

Word family

  • once-over-lightly
  • one
  • nonce
  • twice
  • thrice

Usage notes

Dialect spellings that reflect older pronunciations include aince, yance and yince in Scotland and the north of England, and oncet, onst and wunst elsewhere in England, Ireland and America.[12][7] The CEPD notes that /wɒns/ is spreading in British English but does not yet recommend it.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b The Chambers Dictionary (2008), 11th ed., Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap
  4. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
  9. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  10. ^ a b c d e Kay, Christian; Roberts, Jane; Samuels, Michael; Wotherspoon, Irené, eds. (2009), Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press; online edition (2024)
  11. ^ a b Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  12. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)