Once

(wŭns), adv. [O. Eng. ones, onis, enes, onste, from one; D. eens, from een, and O. H. Ger. eines, N. H. Ger. einst, from ein, one.]

1Sense 1. At one time; on one occasion, and one only.

Trees that bear mast are fruitful but once in two years. Bacon.

2Sense 2. At one former time; formerly.

My soul had once some foolish fondness for thee; But hence ’tis gone. Addison.

3Sense 3. At some one indefinite future time;—nearly in the sense of ever.

When wilt thou . . . give thy Redeemer the possession of thy soul? When shall it once be? Baxter.

Once is used as a noun when preceded by this or that; as, this once, that once.

At once. (a.) At the same point of time; immediately; without delay. “Stand not upon the order of your going, but go at once.” Shak. “I . . . withdrew at once and altogether from the management.” Jeffrey. (b.) At the same time: as, they all moved at once; hence, when referring to two or more together, as one.

This hath all its force at once, on the first impression. Atterbury.

—Once and again, at repeated times; repeatedly. “A dove sent forth once and again, to spy.” Milton.

(ŏns), n. [Fr. once, Sp. & Pg. onza, It. lonza, from Lat. lynx, Gr. λύγξ, a lynx, with l thrown off, as if it were the article; N. Lat. felis uncia. Cf. OUNCE.] (Zoöl.) A digitigrade, carnivorous mammal, of the cat kind; the ounce. See OUNCE.