at once

once (w

ns)

adv.

1. One time only: once a day.

2. At one time in the past; formerly.

3. At any time; ever: Once known, his face is never forgotten.

4. By one degree of relationship: my first cousin once removed.

A single occurrence; one time: Once will have to do. You can go just this once.

conj.

As soon as; if ever; when: Once he goes, we can clean up.

adj.

Having been formerly; former: the once capital of the nation.

Idiom:

at once

1. All at one time; simultaneously: Everything happened at once. The view of the skyline is at once awesome, grand, and disappointing.

2. Immediately; instantly: Leave the room at once.

[Middle English ones, from on, one, from Old English n; see oi-no- in Indo-European roots.]

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adv.	1.	at once - without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening; "he answered immediately"; "found an answer straightaway"; "an official accused of dishonesty should be suspended forthwith"; "Come here now!" forthwith, immediately, instantly, like a shot, right away, straight off, straightaway, directly, now
	2.	at once - simultaneously; "he took three cookies at a time" at a time, at one time

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afresh again alkahest all at once anew CD-WO eleven forthwith immediately in one case iota Lycosa tarentula monocarp monocarpic monocarpic plant once once again Once and again once more	"Girls," said Meg seriously, looking from the tumbled head beside her to the two little night-capped ones in the room beyond, "Mother wants us to read and love and mind these books, and we must begin at once. Little Women by Alcott, Louisa May View in context He drank his tea all at once and put down the cup. My Antonia by Cather, Willa View in context It was some utter nonsense; some adventure out there in the water, and they both tried to relate it at once. The Awakening and Selected Short Stories by Chopin, Kate View in context	At full At full sea At gaze At grade At half cock at hand at heart at home At intervals At issue At it at large at last at least At leastways at leisure at length At liberty at loggerheads at long last At long running At loose ends at most at my command at odds at once At one at one time At one's peril At par at peace At pleasure At point at present at priority call At quiet at random At regard of at rest At right angles At roost At rovers at sea At second hand At short notice At sight at sign at stake at that place at the best At the countretaille	at most at most at most at mother's knee at mother's knee at mother's knee at mother's knee AT motherboard at my command at my command At My Earliest Convenience At Night at night all cats are gray at night all cats are gray at night all cats are gray AT NO AT NO AT NO AT NO AT NO At No Expense to the Government at no period at no time at no time at odds at odds at odds at odds at odds over at odds with at once at one at one at one at one fell swoop at one fell swoop at one fell swoop at one fell swoop at one sitting at one stroke at one stroke at one stroke at one stroke at one stroke at one time at one time at one time at one time at one time at one time or another at one with At one's peril at one’s disposal at one’s end at one’s own risk At or Above At or Below at other times known as at outs at outs at outs

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

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afresh
again
alkahest
all at once
anew
CD-WO
eleven
forthwith
immediately
in one case
iota
Lycosa tarentula
monocarp
monocarpic
monocarpic plant
once
once again
Once and again
once more

"Girls," said Meg seriously, looking from the tumbled head beside her to the two little night-capped ones in the room beyond, "Mother wants us to read and love and mind these books, and we must begin at once.

Little Women by Alcott, Louisa May View in context

He drank his tea all at once and put down the cup.

My Antonia by Cather, Willa View in context

It was some utter nonsense; some adventure out there in the water, and they both tried to relate it at once.

The Awakening and Selected Short Stories by Chopin, Kate View in context