one

one
one
1. When the phrase one of those who… is used, it is normally preferable to follow it with a plural verb (regarding those rather than one as the antecedent), except when particular emphasis is being placed on the individuality of one, in which case a singular verb is called for: (plural verb)

• She was one of those women who make an enchanted garden of their childhood memories —Anita Brookner, 1990

• (singular verb) ‘Don't you think,’ said Bernard, ‘that Hawaii is one of those places that was always better in the past?’ —David Lodge, 1991.

2. The use of one to mean ‘any person’, ‘I’, or ‘me’ is often regarded as an affectation, although English does not always have a ready alternative. It is probably true to say that the more one is associated with ‘I’ or ‘me’, the greater the affectation:

• This performance commanded attention; at times…it brought one's blood to a boil —Chicago Tribune, 1988.

When it genuinely means ‘any person’ (including only incidentally the speaker), it seems a good deal more natural:

• You must realize that there are risks that one doesn't take —Nadine Gordimer, 1987.

When one is used in this way there is a difference of usage between BrE and AmE when the sentence is continued with a further pronoun having the same reference. In AmE one is followed either by another one (or one's) or by a third-person pronoun he or she (or, to avoid gender problems, occasionally they), or by his or her or their, whereas in BrE another one (or one's) always follows: (AmE)

• I like to believe one can be honest and sincere and committed in what he's doing —Chicago Sun-Times, 1988

• (BrE) If one has no base on which to formulate probing questions, can one actually give informed consent? —Dædalus, 1986.


Modern English usage. 2014.

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Synonyms:
, , / , , , , , / , / ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • One — (w[u^]n), a. [OE. one, on, an, AS. [=a]n; akin to D. een, OS. [=e]n, OFries. [=e]n, [=a]n, G. ein, Dan. een, Sw. en, Icel. einn, Goth. ains, W. un, Ir. & Gael. aon, L. unus, earlier oinos, oenos, Gr. o i nh the ace on dice; cf. Skr. [=e]ka. The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • One — One, n. 1. A single unit; as, one is the base of all numbers. [1913 Webster] 2. A symbol representing a unit, as 1, or i. [1913 Webster] 3. A single person or thing. The shining ones. Bunyan. Hence, with your little ones. Shak. [1913 Webster] He… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • One — (w[u^]n), indef. pron. Any person, indefinitely; a person or body; as, what one would have well done, one should do one s self. [1913 Webster] It was well worth one s while. Hawthorne. [1913 Webster] Against this sort of condemnation one must… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • One — One, v. t. To cause to become one; to gather into a single whole; to unite; to assimilite. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] The rich folk that embraced and oned all their heart to treasure of the world. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • -one — suff. (Chem.) A termination indicating that the hydrocarbon to the name of which it is affixed belongs to the fourth series of hydrocarbons, or the third series of unsaturated hydrocarbons; as, nonone. [archaic] [1913 Webster +PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • -one — ([=o]n). [From Gr. w nh, signifying, female descendant.] (Chem.) A suffix indicating that the substance, in the name of which it appears, is a ketone; as, acetone. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • one-up — a. Ahead of a friend or competitor in some competitive activity. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • one — I. adjective Etymology: Middle English on, an, from Old English ān; akin to Old High German ein one, Latin unus (Old Latin oinos), Sanskrit eka Date: before 12th century 1. being a single unit or thing < one day at a time > 2. a. being one in… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • one — See: AT ONE, FOR ONE, GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER, HANG ONE ON, HOLE IN ONE, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, NUMBER ONE, SIX OF ONE AND HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER, SLIP ONE OVER ON, TEN TO ONE, TWO TO ONE, WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • one — See: AT ONE, FOR ONE, GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER, HANG ONE ON, HOLE IN ONE, KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, NUMBER ONE, SIX OF ONE AND HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER, SLIP ONE OVER ON, TEN TO ONE, TWO TO ONE, WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • one up — {adj. phr.} Having an advantage; being one step ahead, * /John graduated from high school; he is one up on Bob, who dropped out./ * /The Platters are one up on their neighbors. They own the only color television set in their neighborhood./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

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