one

Definitions

1. numeral

   The number 1, the number after zero.

   Examples

   • I have one brother and two sisters.
   • A baby turns one year old a year after it is born.
2. pronoun

   One person or thing from a group.

   Examples

   • Any one of the boys can help you.
   • Every one of the employees got a gift.
3. pronoun

   Any person, or people in general.

   Examples

   • One should not be too quick to judge.
   • One never knows what will happen.
   ≈generic you
4. pronoun

   Any person or thing, used in formal speech.

   Examples

   • A driver is one who drives.
   • One must always be careful with fire.
5. pronoun

   Used for the first of two things, compared with the other.

   Examples

   • She offered him an apple and an orange. He took one and left the other.
   • One of the twins is tall, and the other is short.
6. noun

   The figure 1 when you write it.

   Examples

   • The serial number begins with a one.
   • Computers use zeroes and ones.
7. noun

   A bill or note worth one dollar.

   Examples

   • I need some ones to make change.
   • He gave the cashier a crisp new one.
   ≈single
8. numeral

   The first number when you start counting.

   Examples

   • One is the smallest positive whole number.
   • Counting begins at one.
9. numeral

   In math, the number of items in a set that has only one item.

   Examples

   • A set with a single item has exactly one element.
   • The set with only the number 5 has a size of one.
10. numeral

    The position that comes before all others, usually called first.

    Examples

    • In this list, the letter A is in position one.
    • The winner finished in position one.