single English · revision 2321

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1300 (Kyng Alisaunder)|origins=la singulus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsɪŋ.ɡᵊl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sengle]], [[bor|fro|sengle]] (also [[m|fro|single]]),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|singulus|t=one, individual, separate]], mostly used in the plural [[m|la|singulī|t=one by one]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) Barnhart and Klein derive it from [[ine-pro|*sem-go-lo-]], built on [[m|ine-pro|*sem-|t=one, together]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966)^(Etymonline) It is related to [[simple]].^(COED 2004)^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Without armour: probably before 1300, in ''Kyng Alisaunder''.^(Barnhart 1988) Soon after it meant “unmarried”, about 1303 in Mannyng's ''Handlyng Synne'',^(Barnhart 1988) the first sense Etymonline gives (early 14th century).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “consisting of one, individual” is from the late 14th century^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and was often merely emphatic.^(Etymonline) “Only one” is first recorded in Elyot's dictionary (1538),^(Barnhart 1988) and “undivided” in the 1580s.^(Etymonline) The noun meant an unmarried person before 1376, in ''Piers Plowman'',^(Barnhart 1988) and one single thing from the 1640s.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Sport gave it many senses: a one-run hit in cricket (1851) and a one-base hit in baseball (1858).^(Etymonline) It was a one-dollar bill by 1936, a record with one song on each side from 1949,^(Etymonline) an unattached young person from 1964, and ''singles bar'' is from 1969.^(Etymonline) The verb, first “to separate from the herd” in hunting, is from the 1570s,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and ''single out'' “to pick from others” first appears in Shakespeare's ''Love's Labour's Lost'' (1588).^(Barnhart 1988) ''Single-handed'' is from 1709,^(Barnhart 1988) and ''single-minded'' meant “sincere” in 1577 and “having one aim” from 1860.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1300 – without armour.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1303 – unmarried.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1338 – ''singly''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1376 – noun, an unmarried person.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – consisting of one.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1538 – only one (Elyot).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1570s – verb, to separate.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1709 – ''single-handed''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1858 – a one-base hit.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1949 – a record with one song a side.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1969 – ''singles bar''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Only one in number; [[individual]] and separate.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Not married.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Alone; unaccompanied.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Made for or involving one person: ''a single bed''.^(AHD)

+ # Not divided; [[whole]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Wholly attentive; honest, [[sincere]].^(AHD)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # An unmarried person.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A room or berth for one person.^(AHD)

+ # A recording with one main song.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A one-base hit in [[baseball]], or a hit for one run in [[cricket]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(US)'' A one-dollar bill.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To choose from among others; usually ''single out''.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # ''(baseball)'' To hit a single.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[singleness]]

+ * [[cassingle]]

+ * [[singles bar]]

+ * [[CD single]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[singular]]

+ * [[singularity]]

+ * [[simple]]

+ * [[singleton]]

+ * [[same]]

+ * [[similar]]

+ * [[simultaneous]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The AHD compares ''single'', said of what is not combined or accompanied, with ''sole'', the only one of its kind, ''unique'', one with no equal, and ''solitary'' and ''lone'', which stress being alone.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}