sin‧gle 1 S1 W1 / sɪŋɡ ə l / 形容词
1 one [仅用于名词前] only one :
A single tree gave shade from the sun.
They won the game by a single point.
the highest price ever paid for a single work of art
a single-sex school (= one for only boys or girls )
2 every single used to emphasize that you are talking about every person or thing :
Don’t write down every single word I say.
He works every single day.
3 not a single no people or things at all :
The plane was brought down safely and not a single passenger was killed.
We didn’t get a single reply to the advertisement.
4 the single biggest/greatest etc used to emphasize that you are talking about the one thing that is the biggest, greatest etc :
Cigarette smoking is the single most important cause of lung cancer.
Tourism is the country’s single biggest earner.
5 not married not married, or not involved in a romantic relationship with anyone :
The changes in tax rates will benefit single people the most.
Is he single?
6 single bed/room etc a bed, room etc that is meant to be used by one person only :
You have to pay extra for a single room. → double 1 ( 4 )
7 ticket British English a single ticket etc is for a trip from one place to another but not back again 同义词 one-way → return , round-trip
THESAURUS
married having a husband or wife : How long have you been married? | a married couple
single not married : Chris is 45 and still single. | single mothers
engaged having formally agreed to marry someone in the future : Jane and Pete have just got engaged . | engaged couples
live together to share a home and have a sexual relationship, but not be married : More and more couples are choosing to live together rather than get married.
separated no longer living with your husband or wife because of problems in your marriage : I think Joan and Brian are separated now.
divorced no longer married because you have legally ended your marriage : My parents got divorced when I was 10. | divorced men
widowed no longer married because your husband or wife has died : He’s a widowed father of two.