Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [wuhns uh-pon, uh-pawn ey tahym]
- /wʌns əˈpɒn, əˈpɔn eɪ taɪm/
- /wʌns əˈpɒn ə taɪm/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [wuhns uh-pon, uh-pawn ey tahym]
- /wʌns əˈpɒn, əˈpɔn eɪ taɪm/
Definitions of once upon a time words
- adverb once upon a time at one time in the past; formerly: I was a farmer once; a once powerful nation. 1
- adverb once upon a time a single time: We ate there just once. We go to a movie once a week. 1
- adverb once upon a time even a single time; at any time; ever: If the facts once become known, it will be just too bad. 1
- adverb once upon a time by a single step, degree, or grade: a cousin once removed. 1
- adjective once upon a time former; having at one time been: the once and future king. 1
- noun once upon a time a single occasion; one time only: Once is enough. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of once upon a time
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 Once upon a time
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
once upon a time 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".
once upon a time usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for once upon a time
adv once upon a time
- aforetime — formerly
- at one time — If you say that something was the case at one time, you mean that it was the case during a particular period in the past.
- formerly — in time past; in an earlier period or age; previously: a custom formerly observed.
- long ago — of or relating to the distant past or to remote events; ancient: long-ago exploits remembered only in folk tales.
adverb once upon a time
- erewhile — A while before ; some time ago.
- erstwhile — Former.
- old — far advanced in the years of one's or its life: an old man; an old horse; an old tree.
- once — at one time in the past; formerly: I was a farmer once; a once powerful nation.
- one — 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.
Antonyms for once upon a time
adverb once upon a time
- future — time that is to be or come hereafter.
See also
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