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once upon a time

 - 3 dictionary results

once

  [wuhns]
Use once upon a time in a Sentence
–adverb
1. at one time in the past; formerly: I was a farmer once; a once powerful nation.
2. a single time: We ate there just once. We go to a movie once a week.
3. even a single time; at any time; ever: If the facts once become known, it will be just too bad.
4. by a single step, degree, or grade: a cousin once removed.
–adjective
5. former; having at one time been: the once and future king.
–conjunction
6. if or when at any time; if ever.
7. whenever; as soon as: Once you're finished, you can leave.
–noun
8. a single occasion; one time only: Once is enough.
—Idioms
9. all at once,
a. simultaneously: The children were running, screaming, and throwing things all at once.
b. suddenly: All at once the rain came down.
10. at once,
a. at the same time; simultaneously: Don't all speak at once.
b. immediately; promptly: Tell him to come at once!
11. once and again, repeatedly: He has been told once and again not to slam the door.
12. once and for all, decisively; finally: Let's settle this problem once and for all. Also, once for all.
13. once in a while, at intervals; occasionally: She stops in to see us once in a while.
14. once or twice, a very few times; infrequently: I've seen her in the elevator once or twice.
15. once upon a time, at some unspecified past time, esp. a long time ago: Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a prince and princess.
Origin:
bef. 1150; ME ones, OE ānes, orig. gen. of ān one; r. ME enes, OE ǣnes once, equiv. to ǣne once (orig. instrumental of ān) + -es adv. suffix; see -s 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

once 
c.1200, anes, from ane "one" + adverbial genitive. Replaced O.E. æne. Spelling changed as pronunciation shifted from two syllables to one after c.1300. Pronunciation change to "wuns" parallels that of one. As an emphatic, meaning "once and for all," it is attested from c.1300, but this is now chiefly regarded as a Pennsylvania German dialect formation. Meaning "in a past time" (but not necessarily just one time) is from c.1250. Once upon a time as the beginning of a story is recorded from 1595. Slang once-over "inspection" is from 1915.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

once upon a time

On some past occasion, as in I may have sung this piece once upon a time, but I don't really remember it. This phrase, first recorded in 1595, is frequently used as the opening line of fairy tales and stories told to children, as in Once upon a time there was a king who had three beautiful daughters.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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