Single — Defs

01 a. One only, as distinguished from more than one; consisting of one alone; individual; separate; as, a single star.

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.

Phrases & compounds

Single ale — small ale, etc., as contrasted with double ale, etc., which is stronger.

Single bill — a written engagement, generally under seal, for the payment of money, without a penalty.

Single court — 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 — a flower with but one set of petals, as a wild rose.

Single knot — See Illust. under Knot.

Single whip — a single rope running through a fixed block.

02 v. t. To select, as an individual person or thing, from among a number; to choose out from others; to separate.

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.

03 v. i. To take the irrregular gait called single-foot; -- said of a horse. See Single-foot.

1.
To take the irrregular gait called single-foot; -- said of a horse. See Single-foot. 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.

04 n. A unit; one; as, to score a single.

1.
A unit; one; as, to score a single.
2.
The reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling to give them firmness.
3.
A handful of gleaned grain.[Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
4.
A game with but one player on each side; -- usually in the plural.(Law Tennis)
5.
A hit by a batter which enables him to reach first base only.(Baseball)