being or amounting to a single unit or individual or entire thing, item, or object rather than two or more; a single: one woman; one nation; one piece of cake.
2.
being a person, thing, or individual instance or member of a number, kind, group, or category indicated: one member of the party.
3.
existing, acting, or considered as a single unit, entity, or individual.
4.
of the same or having a single kind, nature, or condition: We belong to one team; We are of one resolve.
5.
noting some indefinite day or time in the future: You will see him one day.
6.
a certain (often used in naming a person otherwise unknown or undescribed): One John Smith was chosen.
7.
being a particular, unique, or only individual, item, or unit: I'm looking for the one adviser I can trust.
8.
noting some indefinite day or time in the past: We all had dinner together one evening last week.
9.
of no consequence as to the character, outcome, etc.; the same: It's all one to me whether they go or not.
–noun
10.
the first and lowest whole number, being a cardinal number; unity.
11.
a symbol of this number, as 1 or I.
12.
a single person or thing: If only problems would come one at a time!
13.
a die face or a domino face having one pip.
14.
a one-dollar bill: to change a five-dollar bill for five ones.
15.
(initial capital letter) Neoplatonism. the ultimate reality, seen as a central source of being by whose emanations all entities, spiritual and corporeal, have their existence, the corporeal ones containing the fewest of the emanations.
–pronoun
16.
a person or thing of a number or kind indicated or understood: one of the Elizabethan poets.
17.
(in certain pronominal combinations) a person unless definitely specified otherwise: every one.
18.
(with a defining clause or other qualifying words) a person or a personified being or agency: the evil one; the one I love.
19.
any person indefinitely; anyone: as good as one would desire.
20.
Chiefly British. (used as a substitute for the pronoun I): Mother had been ailing for many months, and one should have realized it.
21.
a person of the speaker's kind; such as the speaker himself or herself: to press one's own claims.
22.
something or someone of the kind just mentioned: The portraits are fine ones. Your teachers this semester seem to be good ones.
23.
something available or referred to, esp. in the immediate area: Here, take one—they're delicious. The bar is open, so have one on me!
—Idioms
24.
at one,
a.
in a state of agreement; of one opinion.
b.
united in thought or feeling; attuned: He felt at one with his Creator.
25.
one and all, everyone: They came, one and all, to welcome him home.
26.
one by one, singly and successively: One by one the children married and moved away.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME oon, OE ān; c. D een, G ein, Goth ains, L ūnus (OL oinos); akin to Gk oíné ace on a die]
—Usage note One as an indefinite pronoun meaning “any person indefinitely, anyone” is more formal than you, which is also used as an indefinite pronoun with the same sense: One (or you) should avoid misconceptions. One (or you) can correct this fault in three ways. When the construction requires that the pronoun be repeated, either one or he or he or she is used; he or he or she is the more common in the United States: Wherever one looks, he (or he or she) finds evidence of pollution. In speech or informal writing, a form of they sometimes occurs: Can one read this without having their emotions stirred? In constructions of the type one of those who (or that or which), the antecedent of who is considered to be the plural noun or pronoun, correctly followed by a plural verb: He is one of those people who work for the government. Yet the feeling that one is the antecedent is so strong that a singular verb is commonly found in all types of writing: one of those people who works for the government. When one is preceded by only in such a construction, the singular verb is always used: the only one of her sons who visits her in the hospital. The substitution of one for I, a typically British use, is usually regarded as an affectation in the United States. See also he1, they.
Being a single entity, unit, object, or living being.
Characterized by unity; undivided: They spoke with one voice.
Of the same kind or quality: two animals of one species.
Forming a single entity of two or more components: three chemicals combining into one solution.
Being a single member or element of a group, category, or kind: I'm just one player on the team.
Being a single thing in contrast with or relation to another or others of its kind: One day is just like the next.
Occurring or existing as something indefinite, as in time or position: He will come one day.
Occurring or existing as something particular but unspecified, as in time past: late one evening.
Informal Used as an intensive: That is one fine dog.
Being the only individual of a specified or implied kind: the one person I could marry; the one horse that can win this race.
n.
The cardinal number, represented by the symbol 1, designating the first such unit in a series.
A single person or thing; a unit: This is the one I like best.
A one-dollar bill.
pron.
An indefinitely specified individual: She visited one of her cousins.
An unspecified individual; anyone: "The older one grows the more one likes indecency"(Virginia Woolf).
[Middle English on, from Old English ān; see oi-no- in Indo-European roots.]
Word History: Why do we pronounce one (wŭn) and once (wŭns) while other words derived from one, like only, alone, and atone, are pronounced with a long o? Over time, stressed vowels commonly become diphthongs, as when Latin bona became buona in Italian and buena in Spanish. A similar diphthongization of one and once began in the late Middle Ages in the west of England and in Wales and is first recorded around 1400. The vowel sound underwent a series of changes, such that the word's pronunciation went from (ōn) to (ōōōn), with two syllables, to (wōn) to (wōōn) to (wŏŏn) and finally to (wŭn). In southwest England, this diphthongization happened to other words beginning with the long o sound, such as oats, pronounced there now as (wŭts). Only in one and once did this diphthongal pronunciation gain widespread usage.
Usage Note: When constructions headed by one appear as the subject of a sentence or relative clause, there may be a question as to whether the verb should be singular or plural. Such a construction is exemplified in the sentence One of every ten rotors was found defective. Although the plural were is sometimes used in such sentences, an earlier survey found that the singular was preferred by 92 percent of the Usage Panel. · Constructions such as one of those people who pose a different problem. Most grammarians would argue that who should be followed by a plural verb in these sentences, as in He is one of those people who just don't take "no" for an answer. Their thinking is that the relative pronoun who refers to the plural noun people, not to one. They would extend the rule to constructions with inanimate nouns, as in The sports car turned out to be one of the most successful products that were ever manufactured in this country. However, constructions of this sort are often used with a singular verb even by the best writers. In an earlier survey, 42 percent of the Usage Panel accepted the use of the singular verb in such constructions. Note also that when the phrase containing one is introduced by the definite article, the verb in the relative clause must be singular: He is the only one of the students who has (not have) already taken Latin. · Constructions using one or more or one or two always take a plural verb: One or more cars were parked in front of the house each day this week. One or two students from our department have won prizes. Note that when followed by a fraction, one ordinarily takes a plural verb: One and a half years have passed since I last saw her. The fraction rule has an exception in that amounts are sometimes treated as singular entities: One and a half cups is enough sugar. Note also that the plural rule does not apply to these one-plus-a-fraction constructions that are introduced by the indefinite article. These are always singular: A year and a half has passed since I last saw her. See Usage Note at he1.
O.E. an, from P.Gmc. *ainaz (cf. O.N. einn, Dan. een, O.Fris. an, Du. een, Ger. ein, Goth. ains), from PIE *oinos (cf. Gk. oinos "ace (on dice)," L. unus "one," O.Pers. aivam, O.C.S. -inu, ino-, Lith. vienas, O.Ir. oin, Breton un "one"). Originally pronounced as it still is in only, and in dial. good 'un, young 'un, etc.; the now-standard pronunciation "wun" began c.14c. in southwest and west England (Tyndale, a Gloucester man, spells it won in his Bible translation), and it began to be general 18c. Use as indefinite pronoun infl. by unrelated Fr. on and L. homo. Slang one-arm bandit "a type of slot machine" is recorded by 1938. One-of-a-kind (adj.) "unique" is recorded from 1961. One-night stand is 1880 in performance sense; 1963 in sexual sense. One of the boys "ordinary amiable fellow" is from 1893. One-track mind is from 1927.
used of a single unit or thing; not two or more; "'ane' is Scottish"
2.
having the indivisible character of a unit; "a unitary action"; "spoke with one voice"
3.
of the same kind or quality; "two animals of one species"
4.
used informally as an intensifier; "that is one fine dog"
5.
indefinite in time or position; "he will come one day"; "one place or another"
6.
being a single entity made by combining separate components; "three chemicals combining into one solution"
7.
eminent beyond or above comparison; "matchless beauty"; "the team's nonpareil center fielder"; "she's one girl in a million"; "the one and only Muhammad Ali"; "a peerless scholar"; "infamy unmatched in the Western world"; "wrote with unmatchable clarity"; "unrivaled mastery of her art" [syn: matchless]
noun
1.
the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number; "he has the one but will need a two and three to go with it"; "they had lunch at one"
2.
a single person or thing; "he is the best one"; "this is the one I ordered"
A\ ([.a] emph. [=a]). 1. [Shortened form of an. AS. [=a]n one. See One.] An adjective, commonly called the indefinite article, and signifying one or any, but less emphatically. "At a birth"; "In a word"; "At a blow". --Shak. Note: It is placed before nouns of the singular number denoting an individual object, or a quality individualized, before collective nouns, and also before plural nouns when the adjective few or the phrase great many or good many is interposed; as, a dog, a house, a man; a color; a sweetness; a hundred, a fleet, a regiment; a few persons, a great many days. It is used for an, for the sake of euphony, before words beginning with a consonant sound [for exception of certain words beginning with h, see An]; as, a table, a woman, a year, a unit, a eulogy, a ewe, a oneness, such a one, etc. Formally an was used both before vowels and consonants. 2. [Originally the preposition a (an, on).] In each; to or for each; as, "twenty leagues a day", "a hundred pounds a year", "a dollar a yard", etc.
A*lone"\, a. [All + one. OE. al one all allone, AS. [=a]n one, alone. See All, One, Lone.]1. Quite by one's self; apart from, or exclusive of, others; single; solitary; -- applied to a person or thing. Alone on a wide, wide sea. --Coleridge. It is not good that the man should be alone. --Gen. ii. 18. 2. Of or by itself; by themselves; without any thing more or any one else; without a sharer; only. Man shall not live by bread alone. --Luke iv. 4. The citizens alone should be at the expense. --Franklin. 3. Sole; only; exclusive. [R.] God, by whose alone power and conversation we all live, and move, and have our being. --Bentley. 4. Hence; Unique; rare; matchless. --Shak. Note: The adjective alone commonly follows its noun. Tolet or leavealone, to abstain from interfering with or molesting; to suffer to remain in its present state.
An\ ([a^]n). [AS. [=a]n one, the same word as the numeral. See One, and cf. A.] This word is properly an adjective, but is commonly called the indefinite article. It is used before nouns of the singular number only, and signifies one, or any, but somewhat less emphatically. In such expressions as "twice an hour," "once an age," a shilling an ounce (see 2d A, 2), it has a distributive force, and is equivalent to each, every. Note: An is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound; as, an enemy, an hour. It in also often used before h sounded, when the accent of the word falls on the second syllable; as, an historian, an hyena, an heroic deed. Many writers use a before h in such positions. Anciently an was used before consonants as well as vowels.
A*non"\, adv. [OE. anoon, anon, anan, lit., in one (moment), fr. AS. on in + [=a]n one. See On and One.]1. Straightway; at once. [Obs.] The same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it. --Matt. xiii. 20. 2. Soon; in a little while. As it shall better appear anon. --Stow. 3. At another time; then; again. Sometimes he trots, . . . anon he rears upright. --Shak. Anon right, at once; right off. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Ever and anon, now and then; frequently; often. A pouncet box, which ever and anon He gave his nose. --Shak.
A"ny\, a. & pron. [OE. [ae]ni[yogh], [ae]ni, eni, ani, oni, AS. [=ae]nig, fr. [=a]n one. It is akin to OS. [=e]nig, OHG. einic, G. einig, D. eenig. See One.]1. One indifferently, out of an indefinite number; one indefinitely, whosoever or whatsoever it may be. Note: Any is often used in denying or asserting without limitation; as, this thing ought not be done at any time; I ask any one to answer my question. No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son. --Matt. xi. 27. 2. Some, of whatever kind, quantity, or number; as, are there any witnesses present? are there any other houses like it? "Who will show us any good?" --Ps. iv. 6. Note: It is often used, either in the singular or the plural, as a pronoun, the person or thing being understood; anybody; anyone; (pl.) any persons. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, . . . and it shall be given him. --Jas. i. 5. That if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. --Acts ix. 2. At any rate, In any case, whatever may be the state of affairs; anyhow.
E*lev"en\ ([-e]*l[e^]v"'n), a. [OE. enleven, AS. endleofan, endlufon, for nleofan; akin to LG. eleve, ["o]lwe, ["o]lwen, D. elf, G. elf, eilf, OHG. einlif, Icel. ellifu, Sw. elfva, Dan. elleve, Goth. ainlif, cf. Lith. v["e]nolika; and fr. the root of E. one + (prob.) a root signifying "to be left over, remain," appearing in E. loan, or perh. in leave, v. t., life. See One, and cf. Twelve.] Ten and one added; as, eleven men.
None\, a. & pron. [OE. none, non, nan, no, na, AS. n[=a]n, fr. ne not + [=a]n one. ?. See No, a. & adv., One, and cf. Non-, Null, a.]1. No one; not one; not anything; -- frequently used also partitively, or as a plural, not any. There is none that doeth good; no, not one. --Ps. xiv. 3. Six days ye shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. --Ex. xvi. 26. Terms of peace yet none Vouchsafed or sought. --Milton. None of their productions are extant. --Blair. 2. No; not any; -- used adjectively before a vowel, in old style; as, thou shalt have none assurance of thy life. None of, not at all; not; nothing of; -- used emphatically. "They knew that I was none of the register that entered their admissions in the universities." --Fuller. None-so-pretty (Bot.), the Saxifraga umbrosa. See London pride (a), under London.
Null\, a. [L. nullus not any, none; ne not + ullus any, a dim. of unus one; cf. F. nul. See No, and One, and cf. None.] Of no legal or binding force or validity; of no efficacy; invalid; void; nugatory; useless. Faultily faultless, icily regular, splendidly null, Dead perfection; no more. --Tennyson.
One\, a. [OE. one, on, an, AS. ["a]n; akin to D. een, OS. ["e]n, OFries. ["e]n, ["a]n, G. ein, Dan. een, Sw. en, Icel. einn, Goth. ains, W. un, Ir. & Gael. aon, L. unus, earlier oinos, oenos, Gr. ? the ace on dice; cf. Skr. ["e]ka. The same word as the indefinite article a, an. [root] 299. Cf. 2d A, 1st An, Alone, Anon, Any, None, Nonce, Only, Onion, Unit.]1. Being a single unit, or entire being or thing, and no more; not multifold; single; individual. The dream of Pharaoh is one. --Gen. xli. 25. O that we now had here But one ten thousand of those men in England. --Shak. 2. Denoting a person or thing conceived or spoken of indefinitely; a certain. "I am the sister of one Claudio" [--Shak.], that is, of a certain man named Claudio. 3. Pointing out a contrast, or denoting a particular thing or person different from some other specified; -- used as a correlative adjective, with or without the. From the one side of heaven unto the other. --Deut. iv. 32. 4. Closely bound together; undivided; united; constituting a whole. The church is therefore one, though the members may be many. --Bp. Pearson 5. Single in kind; the same; a common. One plague was on you all, and on your lords. --1 Sam. vi. 4. 6. Single; inmarried. [Obs.] Men may counsel a woman to be one. --Chaucer. Note: One is often used in forming compound words, the meaning of which is obvious; as, one-armed, one-celled, one-eyed, one-handed, one-hearted, one-horned, one-idead, one-leaved, one-masted, one-ribbed, one-story, one-syllable, one-stringed, one-winged, etc. All one, of the same or equal nature, or consequence; as, he says that it is all one what course you take. --Shak. One day. (a) On a certain day, not definitely specified, referring to time past. One day when Phoebe fair, With all her band, was following the chase. --Spenser. (b) Referring to future time: At some uncertain day or period; some day. Well, I will marry one day. --Shak.
One\, n. 1. A single unit; as, one is the base of all numbers. 2. A symbol representing a unit, as 1, or i. 3. A single person or thing. "The shining ones." --Bunyan. "Hence, with your little ones." --Shak. He will hate the one, and love the other. --Matt. vi. 24. That we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. --Mark x. 37. After one, after one fashion; alike. [Obs.] --Chaucer. At one, in agreement or concord. See At one, in the Vocab. Ever in one, continually; perpetually; always. [Obs.] --Chaucer. In one, in union; in a single whole. One and one, One by one, singly; one at a time; one after another. "Raising one by one the suppliant crew." --Dryden.
One\, indef. pron. Any person, indefinitely; a person or body; as, what one would have well done, one should do one's self. It was well worth one's while. --Hawthorne. Against this sort of condemnation one must steel one's self as one best can. --G. Eliot. Note: One is often used with some, any, no, each, every, such, a, many a, another, the other, etc. It is sometimes joined with another, to denote a reciprocal relation. When any one heareth the word. --Matt. xiii. 19. She knew every one who was any one in the land of Bohemia. --Compton Reade. The Peloponnesians and the Athenians fought against one another. --Jowett (Thucyd. ). The gentry received one another. --Thackeray.
One\, v. t. To cause to become one; to gather into a single whole; to unite; to assimilite. [Obs.] The rich folk that embraced and oned all their heart to treasure of the world. --Chaucer.
On"ion\, n. [F. ognon, fr. L. unio oneness, unity, a single large pearl, an onion. See One, Union.] (Bot.) A liliaceous plant of the genus Allium (A. cepa), having a strong-flavored bulb and long hollow leaves; also, its bulbous root, much used as an article of food. The name is often extended to other species of the genus. Onion fish (Zo["o]l.), the grenadier. Onion fly (Zo["o]l.) a dipterous insect whose larva feeds upon the onion; especially, Anthomyia ceparum and Ortalis flexa. Welsh onion. (Bot.) See Cibol. Wild onion (Bot.), a name given to several species of the genus Allium.
On"ly\, a. [OE. only, anly, onlich, AS. [=a]nlic, i.e., onelike. See One, and Like, a.]1. One alone; single; as, the only man present; his only occupation. 2. Alone in its class; by itself; not associated with others of the same class or kind; as, an only child. 3. Hence, figuratively: Alone, by reason of superiority; pre["e]minent; chief. "Motley's the only wear." --Shak.
U"ni*corn\, n. [OE. unicorne, F. unicorne, L. unicornis one-horned, having a single horn; unus one + cornu a horn; cf. L. unicornuus a unicorn. See One, and Horn.]1. A fabulous animal with one horn; the monoceros; -- often represented in heraldry as a supporter. 2. A two-horned animal of some unknown kind, so called in the Authorized Version of the Scriptures. Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? --Job xxxix. 10. Note: The unicorn mentioned in the Scripture was probably the urus. See the Note under Reem. 3. (Zo["o]l.) (a) Any large beetle having a hornlike prominence on the head or prothorax. (b) The larva of a unicorn moth. 4. (Zo["o]l.) The kamichi; -- called also unicorn bird. 5. (Mil.) A howitzer. [Obs.] Fossil unicorn, or Fossil unicorn's horn (Med.), a substance formerly of great repute in medicine; -- named from having been supposed to be the bone or the horn of the unicorn. Unicorn fish, Unicorn whale (Zo["o]l.), the narwhal. Unicorn moth (Zo["o]l.), a notodontian moth (C[oe]lodasys unicornis) whose caterpillar has a prominent horn on its back; -- called also unicorn prominent. Unicorn root (Bot.), a name of two North American plants, the yellow-flowered colicroot (Aletris farinosa) and the blazing star (Cham[ae]lirium luteum). Both are used in medicine. Unicorn shell (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of marine gastropods having a prominent spine on the lip of the shell. Most of them belong to the genera Monoceros and Leucozonia.
Un"ion\ (?; 277), n. [F., from L. unio oneness, union, a single large pearl, a kind of onion, fr. unus one. See One, and cf. Onion, Unit.]1. The act of uniting or joining two or more things into one, or the state of being united or joined; junction; coalition; combination. Note: Union differs from connection, as it implies that the bodies are in contact, without an inter?ening body; whereas things may be connected by the in???vention of a third body, as by a cord or chain. 2. Agreement and conjunction of mind, spirit, will, affections, or the like; harmony; concord. 3. That which is united, or made one; something formed by a combination or coalition of parts or members; a confederation; a consolidated body; a league; as, the weavers have formed a union; trades unions have become very numerous; the United States of America are often called the Union. --A. Hamilton. 4. A textile fabric composed of two or more materials, as cotton, silk, wool, etc., woven together. 5. A large, fine pearl. [Obs.] If they [pearls] be white, great, round, smooth, and weighty . . . our dainties and delicates here at Rome . . . call them unions, as a man would say "singular," and by themselves alone. --Holland. In the cup an union shall he throw, Richer than that which four successive kings In Denmark's crown have worn. --Shak. 6. A device emblematic of union, used on a national flag or ensign, sometimes, as in the military standard of Great Britain, covering the whole field; sometimes, as in the flag of the United States, and the English naval and marine flag, occupying the upper inner corner, the rest of the flag being called the fly. Also, a flag having such a device; especially, the flag of Great Britain. Note: The union of the United States ensign is a cluster of white stars, denoting the union of the States, and, properly, equal in number to that of the States, displayed on a blue field; the fly being composed of alternate stripes of red and white. The union of the British ensign is the three crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick in combination, denoting the union of England, Scotland and Ireland, displayed on a blue field in the national banner used on shore, on a red, white, or blue field in naval ensigns, and with a white border or fly in the merchant service. 7. (Mach.) A joint or other connection uniting parts of machinery, or the like, as the elastic pipe of a tender connecting it with the feed pipe of a locomotive engine; especially, a pipe fitting for connecting pipes, or pipes and fittings, in such a way as to facilitate disconnection. 8. (Brewing) A cask suspended on trunnions, in which fermentation is carried on. Hypostatic union (Theol.) See under Hypostatic. Latin union. See under Latin. Legislative Union (Eng. Hist.), the union of Great Britain and Ireland, which took place Jan. 1, 1801. Union, or Act of Union (Eng. Hist.), the act by which Scotland was united to England, or by which the two kingdoms were incorporated into one, in 1707. Union by the first, or second, intention. (Surg.) See To heal by the first, or second, intention, under Intention. Union down (Naut.), a signal of distress at sea made by reversing the flag, or turning its union downward. Union jack. (Naut.) See Jack, n., 10. Union joint. (Mech.) (a) A joint formed by means of a union. (b) A piece of pipe made in the form of the letter T. Syn: Unity; junction; connection; concord; alliance; coalition; combination; confederacy. Usage: Union, Unity. Union is the act of bringing two or more things together so as to make but one, or the state of being united into one. Unity is a state of simple oneness, either of essence, as the unity of God, or of action, feeling, etc., as unity of design, of affection, etc. Thus, we may speak of effecting a union of interests which shall result in a unity of labor and interest in securing a given object. One kingdom, joy, and union without end. --Milton. [Man] is to . . . beget Like of his like, his image multiplied. In unity defective; which requires Collateral love, and dearest amity. --Milton.
U*nique"\, a. [F. unique; cf. It. unico; from L. unicus, from unus one. See One.] Being without a like or equal; unmatched; unequaled; unparalleled; single in kind or excellence; sole. -- U*nique"ly, adv. -- U*nique"ness, n.
U"ni*son\ (?; 277), n. [LL. unisonus having the same sound; L. unus one + sonus a sound: cf. F. unisson, It. unisono. See One, and Sound a noise.]1. Harmony; agreement; concord; union. 2. (Mus.) Identity in pitch; coincidence of sounds proceeding from an equality in the number of vibrations made in a given time by two or more sonorous bodies. Parts played or sung in octaves are also said to be in unison, or in octaves. Note: If two cords of the same substance have equal length, thickness, and tension, they are said to be in unison, and their sounds will be in unison. Sounds of very different qualities and force may be in unison, as the sound of a bell may be in unison with a sound of a flute. Unison, then, consists in identity of pitch alone, irrespective of quality of sound, or timbre, whether of instruments or of human voices. A piece or passage is said to be sung or played in unison when all the voices or instruments perform the same part, in which sense unison is contradistinguished from harmony. 3. A single, unvaried. [R.] --Pope. In unison, in agreement; agreeing in tone; in concord.
U*nite"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. United; p. pr. & vb. n. Uniting.] [L. unitus, p. p. of unire to unite, from unus one. See One.]1. To put together so as to make one; to join, as two or more constituents, to form a whole; to combine; to connect; to join; to cause to adhere; as, to unite bricks by mortar; to unite iron bars by welding; to unite two armies. 2. Hence, to join by a legal or moral bond, as families by marriage, nations by treaty, men by opinions; to join in interest, affection, fellowship, or the like; to cause to agree; to harmonize; to associate; to attach. Under his great vicegerent reign abide, United as one individual soul. --Milton. The king proposed nothing more than to unite his kingdom in one form of worship. --Clarendon. Syn: To add; join; annex; attach. See Add.
U"ni*ty\, n.; pl. Unities. [OE. unite, F. unit['e], L. unitas, from unus one. See One, and cf. Unit.]1. The state of being one; oneness. Whatever we can consider as one thing suggests to the understanding the idea of unity. --Locks. Note: Unity is affirmed of a simple substance or indivisible monad, or of several particles or parts so intimately and closely united as to constitute a separate body or thing. See the Synonyms under Union. 2. Concord; harmony; conjunction; agreement; uniformity; as, a unity of proofs; unity of doctrine. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! --Ps. cxxxiii. 1. 3. (Math.) Any definite quantity, or aggregate of quantities or magnitudes taken as one, or for which 1 is made to stand in calculation; thus, in a table of natural sines, the radius of the circle is regarded as unity. Note: The number 1, when it is not applied to any particular thing, is generally called unity. 4. (Poetry & Rhet.) In dramatic composition, one of the principles by which a uniform tenor of story and propriety of representation are preserved; conformity in a composition to these; in oratory, discourse, etc., the due subordination and reference of every part to the development of the leading idea or the eastablishment of the main proposition. Note: In the Greek drama, the three unities required were those of action, of time, and of place; that is, that there should be but one main plot; that the time supposed should not exceed twenty-four hours; and that the place of the action before the spectators should be one and the same throughout the piece. 5. (Fine Arts & Mus.) Such a combination of parts as to constitute a whole, or a kind of symmetry of style and character. 6. (Law) The peculiar characteristics of an estate held by several in joint tenancy. Note: The properties of it are derived from its unity, which is fourfold; unity of interest, unity of title, unity of time, and unity of possession; in other words, joint tenants have one and the same interest, accruing by one and the same conveyance, commencing at the same time, and held by one and the same undivided possession. Unity of possession is also a joint possession of two rights in the same thing by several titles, as when a man, having a lease of land, afterward buys the fee simple, or, having an easement in the land of another, buys the servient estate. At unity, at one. Unity of type. (Biol.) See under Type. Syn: Union; oneness; junction; concord; harmony. See Union.
U"ni*verse\, n. [L. universum, from universus universal; unus one + vertere, versum, to turn, that is, turned into one, combined into one whole; cf. F. univers. See One, and Verse.] All created things viewed as constituting one system or whole; the whole body of things, or of phenomena; the ? ? of the Greeks, the mundus of the Latins; the world; creation. How may I Adore thee, Author of this universe And all this good to man! --Milton.
U*niv"o*cal\, a. [L. univocus; unus one + vox, vocis, a voice, word. See One, and Voice.]1. Having one meaning only; -- contrasted with equivocal. 2. Having unison of sound, as the octave in music. See Unison, n., 2. 3. Having always the same drift or tenor; uniform; certain; regular. [R.] --Sir T. Browne. 4. Unequivocal; indubitable. [Obs.] --Jer. Taylor.
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