alone

views updated Jun 08 2018

a·lone / əˈlōn/ • adj. & adv. 1. having no one else present; on one's own: she was alone that evening | [as adv.] he lives alone. ∎  without others' help or participation; single-handed: team members are more effective than individuals working alone. ∎  [as adj.] isolated and lonely: she was terribly alone and exposed. ∎  having no companions in a particular position or course of action: they were not alone in dissenting from the advice.2. [as adv.] indicating that something is confined to the specified subject or recipient: we agreed to set up such a test for him alone. ∎  used to emphasize that only one factor out of several is being considered and that the whole is greater or more extreme: there were fifteen churches in the town center alone.PHRASES: go it alone inf. act by oneself without assistance. leave (or let) someone/something alone1. abandon or desert someone or something.2. stop disturbing or interfering with someone or something.let alonesee let1 .DERIVATIVES: a·lone·ness / əˈlōn(n)əs/ n.

alone

views updated May 18 2018

alone XII. ME. al ane, al one, i.e. ALL, OE. āna by oneself (f. ān ONE). In ME. sometimes written a lone (whence LONE).