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Singular - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Singular : adj
1: unusual or striking; "a remarkable sight"; "such poise is
singular in one so young" [syn: remarkable]
2: beyond or deviating from the usual or expected; "a curious
hybrid accent"; "her speech has a funny twang"; "they have
some funny ideas about war"; "had an odd name"; "the
peculiar aromatic odor of cloves"; "something definitely
queer about this town"; "what a rum fellow"; "singular
behavior" [syn: curious, funny, odd, peculiar, queer,
rum, rummy]
3: being a single and separate person or thing; "can the
singular person be understood apart from his culture?";
"every fact in the world might be singular...unlike any
other fact and sole of its kind"-William James
4: grammatical number category referring to a single item or
unit [ant: plural]
5: the single one of its kind; "a singular example"; "the
unique existing example of Donne's handwriting"; "a unique
copy of an ancient manuscript"; "certain types of problems
have unique solutions" [syn: unique]
(noun)
1: the form of a word that is used to denote a singleton [syn:
singular form] [ant: plural]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Singular : \Sin"gu*lar\, a. [OE. singuler, F. singulier, fr. L.
singularius, singularis, fr. singulus single. See Single,
a.]
1. Separate or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obs.]
--Bacon.
And God forbid that all a company Should rue a
singular man's folly. --Chaucer.
2. Engaged in by only one on a side; single. [Obs.]
To try the matter thus together in a singular
combat. --Holinshed.
3. (Logic) Existing by itself; single; individual.
The idea which represents one . . . determinate
thing, is called a singular idea, whether simple,
complex, or compound. --I. Watts.
4. (Law) Each; individual; as, to convey several parcels of
land, all and singular.
5. (Gram.) Denoting one person or thing; as, the singular
number; -- opposed to dual and plural.
6. Standing by itself; out of the ordinary course; unusual;
uncommon; strange; as, a singular phenomenon.
So singular a sadness Must have a cause as strange
as the effect. --Denham.
7. Distinguished as existing in a very high degree; rarely
equaled; eminent; extraordinary; exceptional; as, a man of
singular gravity or attainments.
8. Departing from general usage or expectations; odd;
whimsical; -- often implying disapproval or consure.
His zeal None seconded, as out of season judged, Or
singular and rash. --Milton.
To be singular in anything that is wise and worthy,
is not a disparagement, but a praise. --Tillotson.
9. Being alone; belonging to, or being, that of which there
is but one; unique.
These busts of the emperors and empresses are all
very scarce, and some of them almost singular in
their kind. --Addison.
Singular point in a curve (Math.), a point at which the
curve possesses some peculiar properties not possessed by
other points of the curve, as a cusp point, or a multiple
point.
Singular proposition (Logic), a proposition having as its
subject a singular term, or a common term limited to an
individual by means of a singular sign. --Whately.
Singular succession (Civil Law), division among individual
successors, as distinguished from universal succession, by
which an estate descended in intestacy to the heirs in
mass.
Singular term (Logic), a term which represents or stands
for a single individual.
Syn: Unexampled; unprecedented; eminent; extraordinary;
remarkable; uncommon; rare; unusual; peculiar; strange;
odd; eccentric; fantastic.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Singular : \Sin"gu*lar\, n.
1. An individual instance; a particular. [Obs.] --Dr. H.
More.
2. (Gram) The singular number, or the number denoting one
person or thing; a word in the singular number.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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SINGULAR, construction. In grammar theSingular : is used to express only one,
not plural. Johnson.
2. In law, the singular frequently includes the plural. A bequest to
"my nearest relation," for example, will be considered as a bequest to all
the relations in the same degree, who are nearest to the testator. 1 Ves.
sen. 337; 1 Bro. C. C. 293. A bequest made to "my heir," by a person who had
three heirs, will be construed in the plural. 4 Russ. C. C. 384.
3. The same rule obtains in the civil law: In usu juris frequenter uti
nos singulari appellationie, am plura significari vellemus. Dig. 50, l6,
158.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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Example Usage of Singular |
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oktohelp: "Excellence is not a Singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly." -Shaquille Neal |
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JimReppell: "Excellence is not a Singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly." -Shaquille Neal |
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KatrinaWoodrow2: @scottspeig Gordon exhibits a Singular lack of commonsense at all times! If there is a bandwagon, he is the first on it! |
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