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at once

at once
A a

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [at wuhns]
    • /æt wʌns/
    • /ət wʌns/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [at wuhns]
    • /æt wʌns/

Definitions of at once words

  • phrase at once If you do something at once, you do it immediately. 3
  • noun at once at the same time 3
  • adverb at once at one time in the past; formerly: I was a farmer once; a once powerful nation. 1
  • adverb at once a single time: We ate there just once. We go to a movie once a week. 1
  • adverb at once even a single time; at any time; ever: If the facts once become known, it will be just too bad. 1
  • adverb at once by a single step, degree, or grade: a cousin once removed. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of at once

First appearance:

before 1150
One of the 7% oldest English words
before 1150; Middle English ones, Old English ānes, orig. genitive of ān one; replacing Middle English enes, Old English ǣnes once, equivalent to ǣne once (orig. instrumental of ān) + -es adv. suffix; see -s1

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for At once

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

at once popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 97% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

at once usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for at once

adv at once

  • shortly — in a short time; soon.
  • instantaneously — occurring, done, or completed in an instant: an instantaneous response.
  • promptly — done, performed, delivered, etc., at once or without delay: a prompt reply.
  • immediately — without lapse of time; without delay; instantly; at once: Please telephone him immediately.
  • quickly — with speed; rapidly; very soon.

adj at once

  • urgent — compelling or requiring immediate action or attention; imperative; pressing: an urgent matter.
  • prompt — done, performed, delivered, etc., at once or without delay: a prompt reply.
  • actual — You use actual to emphasize that you are referring to something real or genuine.
  • critical — If a person is critical or in a critical condition in hospital, they are seriously ill.
  • current — A current is a steady and continuous flowing movement of some of the water in a river, lake, or sea.

Antonyms for at once

adv at once

  • later — occurring, coming, or being after the usual or proper time: late frosts; a late spring.
  • indirectly — not in a direct course or path; deviating from a straight line; roundabout: an indirect course in sailing.
  • late — occurring, coming, or being after the usual or proper time: late frosts; a late spring.
  • future — time that is to be or come hereafter.
  • past — gone by or elapsed in time: It was a bad time, but it's all past now.

adj at once

  • far — at or to a great distance; a long way off; at or to a remote point: We sailed far ahead of the fleet.
  • never — not ever; at no time: Such an idea never occurred to me.
  • away — If someone or something moves or is moved away from a place, they move or are moved so that they are no longer there. If you are away from a place, you are not in the place where people expect you to be.
  • distant — far off or apart in space; not near at hand; remote or removed (often followed by from): a distant place; a town three miles distant from here.

See also

Matching words

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