one*/*/*/

[wʌn]

grammar word summary: One can be: ■ a number: We have one child. ■ a determiner: He grew roses on one side of his garden, and vegetables on the other. ■ a pronoun: They are the ones who suffered. ♦ Sydney is one of the world's most exciting cities.

1) number the number 1

I've only got one hour free.[/ex]

They have one daughter and five sons.[/ex]

2) a single person or thing used for referring to a single person or thing when there are others of the same type

I bought three T-shirts – do you want one?[/ex]

One passenger said she had been waiting for 13 hours.[/ex]

I met one of her brothers.[/ex]

one of the best Japanese restaurants in town[/ex]

3) (plural ones)

used for referring to things used for referring to something when that type of thing has already been mentioned

It was a problem, but not a major one.[/ex]

Your experiences are ones that are shared by many other parents.[/ex]

I'm going to keep those boxes. The ones I want to get rid of are in the garage.[/ex]

I'd never seen a game like that one.[/ex]

4) the one

(plural the ones) used for referring to people used for referring to someone who is part of a group

David and I are the only ones left who are not married.[/ex]

Who is the one with the beard?[/ex]

5) in general statements British

formal used instead of ‘you' when you are making a statement about people in general, that also applies to yourself

One cannot be sure what lies ahead.[/ex]

6) the only the only person or thing of a particular type

My one concern is that not everyone will be able to attend.[/ex]

We're going to have to play the one team we did not want to play.[/ex]

7) used for emphasis used for emphasizing a particular fact, person, or thing

There's one thing you can be sure of – you won't get any help from him.[/ex]

One person who won't be invited is her ex-husband.[/ex]

8) used for comparison used for mentioning the first of two or more similar people or things, especially when you are comparing them

She had a glass in one hand and an empty bottle in the other.[/ex]

•

(all) in one — used for saying that someone or something can do many different things at the same time[/ex]

The device will give you telephone, television, and Internet all in one.[/ex]

one after another; one after the other — used for saying that actions are done or things happen with very little time between them[/ex]

They had four children one after another.[/ex]

one after another; one after the other — used for saying that each person or thing is immediately followed by the next[/ex]

One day I had three different exams one after the other.[/ex]

the one and only — used for introducing a famous person, or for saying that someone is very famous[/ex]

one by one — first one, then the next, then the next, separately[/ex]

Add the eggs one by one.[/ex]

one day/night/year etc — 1) on a particular day/night/year etc in the past[/ex]

One evening Sam didn't come home.[/ex]

— 2) on any day/night/year etc in the future

She knew that one day she'd get married.[/ex]

one or two — a small number of people or things[/ex]

Carla said she had one or two ideas of her own.[/ex]