ONLY Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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only

[ ohn-lee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adverb

without others or anything further; alone; solely; exclusively:
This information is for your eyes only.
no more than; merely; just: I cook only on weekends, never on weekdays.
If it were only true!
I cook only on weekends, never on weekdays.
as recently as:
I read that article only yesterday.
in the final outcome or decision:
You will only regret your harsh words to me.

adjective

being the single one or the relatively few of the kind:
This is the only pencil I can find.
Synonyms: ,
Antonyms: ,
having no sibling or no sibling of the same gender: He was their only son, but they had three daughters
Although I had lots of cousins, I was an only child.
He was their only son, but they had three daughters
single in superiority or distinction; unique; the best:
the one and only Muhammad Ali.
Synonyms: ,

conjunction

but (introducing a single restriction, restraining circumstance, or the like):
I would have gone, only you objected.
Older Use. except; but:
Only for him you would not be here.

only

/ ˈəʊ�Ա�ɪ /

adjective

the only
being single or very few in number
the only men left in town were too old to bear arms
(of a child) having no siblings
unique by virtue of being superior to anything else; peerless
one and only
1. adjective incomparable; unique
2. as noun the object of all one's love
  you are my one and only

adverb

without anyone or anything else being included; alone
only a genius can do that
you have one choice only
merely or just
it's only Henry
no more or no greater than
we met only an hour ago
(intensifier)
she was only marvellous
it was only dreadful
used in conditional clauses introduced by if to emphasize the impossibility of the condition ever being fulfilled
if I had only known, this would never have happened
not earlier than; not…until
I only found out yesterday
if only
an expression used to introduce a wish, esp one felt to be unrealizable
only if
never…except when
only too
1. (intensifier)
  he was only too pleased to help
2. most regrettably (esp in the phrase only too true )

sentence connector

but; however: used to introduce an exception or condition
play outside: only don't go into the street

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Usage Note

The placement of only as a modifier is more a matter of style and clarity than of grammatical rule. In a sentence like The doctor examined the children, varying the placement of only results in quite different meanings: The doctor only examined the children means that the doctor did nothing else. And The doctor examined only the children means that no one else was examined. Especially in formal writing, the placement of only immediately before what it modifies is often observed: She sold the stock only because she needed the money. However, there has long been a tendency in all varieties of speech and writing to place only before the verb ( She only sold the stock because she needed the money ), and such placement is rarely confusing.

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Usage

In informal English, only is often used as a sentence connector: I would have phoned you, only I didn't know your number. This use should be avoided in formal writing: I would have phoned you if I'd known your number. In formal speech and writing, only is placed directly before the word or words that it modifies: she could interview only three applicants in the morning. In all but the most formal contexts, however, it is generally regarded as acceptable to put only before the verb: she could only interview three applicants in the morning. Care must be taken not to create ambiguity, esp in written English, in which intonation will not, as it does in speech, help to show to which item in the sentence only applies. A sentence such as she only drinks tea in the afternoon is capable of two interpretations and is therefore better rephrased either as she drinks only tea in the afternoon (i.e. no other drink) or she drinks tea only in the afternoon (i.e. at no other time)

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of only¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English ��lich, ǣnlich; one, -ly

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of only¹

Old English ��Ա�ī��, from �� one + -��ī�� -ly ²

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Idioms and Phrases

only too,
1. as a matter of fact; extremely:
  I am only too glad to go.
2. unfortunately; very:
  It is only too likely to happen.

More idioms and phrases containing only

beauty is only skin deep
have an eye (eyes only) for
if only
in name only
not the only fish in the sea
one and only

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Example Sentences

P now suffers from severe dystonic cerebral palsy, is effectively blind, has an intellectual disability, has epilepsy, can only communicate by crying and cannot be comforted when crying.

From

However, with the Smell nearby and the Regent just a few blocks away, the 5 Star is not the only music venue in the area.

From

“From the beginning they were equals, and ‘Yesterday’ wasn’t only just a hit, but the song that more artists covered than any other Beatles song.

From

Under the two proposals that collapsed, the city negotiated only with the Angels rather than put the property up for bid and see what developers might offer, with or without a stadium included.

From

All that means is you might be the only fool in the world that’s going to pay as much for that horse.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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