once
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once
(wŭns)once
(wʌns)once
(wʌns)adv.
once
If something happens once, it happens only one time.
When once is used with this meaning, it usually goes at the end of a clause.
You also use once to say that something happened at some time in the past.
When once is used with this meaning, it usually goes in front of a verb or at the beginning of a clause.
You also use once to say that something was true in the past, although it is no longer true.
When once is used with this meaning, it usually goes after be or an auxiliary verb, or at the end of a clause.
Be Careful!
Don't use 'once' to show that something will happen at some time in the future. Instead you use one day for events in the distant future, or sometime for things that might happen fairly soon.
If you do something at once, you do it immediately.
Adv. | 1. | once - on one occasion; "once I ran into her" |
2. | once - as soon as; "once we are home, we can rest" | |
3. | once - at a previous time; "at one time he loved her"; "her erstwhile writing"; "she was a dancer once"; |
once
once
adverbonce
[wʌns]you once said you'd never do that → una vez dijiste que nunca harías eso
he walked away without looking back once → se alejó caminando sin mirar atrás ni una sola vez
once a thief, always a thief → quien roba una vez roba veinte
once a smoker, always a smoker → el que es fumador no lo deja de ser nunca
once a week → una vez a la or por semana
once again → otra vez, una vez más
once and for all → de una vez (por todas)
we were here once before → ya estuvimos aquí una vez antes
once every two days → una vez cada dos días
for once → por una vez
once more → otra vez, una vez más
more than once → más de una vez
it never once occurred to me → ni se me occurrió
once only → sólo una vez, una sola vez
once or twice → un par de veces, una o dos veces
(every) once in a while → de vez en cuando, de cuando en cuando, cada cuando (LAm)
see also blue A1
it had once been white → antes había sido blanco
a once powerful nation → un país que antes or en su día había sido poderoso
the once opulent city → la que en su día fuera una opulenta ciudad, la otrora opulenta ciudad (frm)
the ring once belonged to my father → el anillo había pertenecido en tiempos a mi padre
once when we were young → hace tiempo cuando éramos jóvenes
Texas was once ruled by Mexico → Tejas estuvo en su tiempo gobernada por México
I knew him once → le conocí hace tiempo
once upon a time there was (as start of story) → érase una vez ..., había una vez ...
once upon a time they used to hang people for stealing sheep (= in the old days) → hubo un tiempo en que solían ahorcar a la gente que robaba ovejas
remove from the heat and serve at once → retirar del fuego y servir inmediatamente
he read the letter at once → leyó la carta inmediatamente or en seguida
we'd better leave at once → mejor que nos vayamos ahora mismo
stop it at once! → ¡deja de hacer eso ahora mismo or inmediatamente!
everybody was talking at once → todo el mundo hablaba a la vez or al mismo tiempo
his style is at once original and stimulating → su estilo es al mismo tiempo original y estimulante
all at once (= suddenly) → de repente, de pronto; (= simultaneously) → a la vez, al mismo tiempo
all at once she felt afraid → de repente or de pronto le entró miedo
a number of things then happened all at once → una serie de cosas sucedieron a la vez or al mismo tiempo
don't eat it all at once → no te lo comas todo de un golpe
you don't have to pay it all at once → no tienes que pagar todo de un golpe
once you give him the chance → una vez que le des la oportunidad, si le das la oportunidad
once they finish, we can start → una vez que or en cuanto ellos terminen podemos empezar nosotros
once the sun had set, the air turned cold → en cuanto se ocultó el sol, el aire se volvió frío
once inside her flat, she opened the letter → una vez dentro del piso, abrió la carta
once
[ˈwʌns]I've been out with him once → Je suis sortie avec lui une fois.
only once → une seule fois
more than once → plus d'une fois
once a week → une fois par semaine
once every fortnight → une fois tous les quinze jours
once a month → une fois par mois
once every three months → une fois tous les trois mois
once more (= one more time) → encore une fois
once again (= one more time) → encore une fois
once and for all → une fois pour toutes
once in a while → de temps en temps
I've been to France once before → J'ai déjà été une fois en France.
once or twice (= a few times) → une ou deux fois
once he had left → une fois qu'il fut parti
once it was done → une fois que ce fut terminé
Once inside her flat, she opened the letter → Une fois dans son appartement, elle ouvrit la lettre.
I knew at once that something was wrong → J'ai tout de suite su que quelque chose n'allait pas. (= simultaneously) → à la fois
They all arrived at once → Ils sont arrivés tous à la fois.
Everybody is talking at once → Tout le monde parle à la fois.
all at once (= suddenly) → tout d'un couponce-only [ˌwʌnsˈəʊnli] adj
a once-only offer → une offre uniqueonce-over [ˈwʌnsəʊvər] n (= quick look) to give sb/sth the once-over → jeter un coup d'œil sur qn/qch
once
once
[wʌns]I've only met him once before → prima d'ora l'ho incontrato una volta sola
once only → solo una volta
once or twice → un paio di volte
once again or once more → ancora una volta
(every) once in a while → (una volta) ogni tanto
once a week → una volta alla settimana
once and for all → una volta per tutte
just this once → solo (per) questa volta
for once → una volta tanto
it never once occurred to me → non mi è mai venuto in mente
I knew him once → un tempo or in passato lo conoscevo
once upon a time there was ... → c'era una volta...
all at once (suddenly) → tutt'a un tratto, improvvisamente (in one go) → tutto in una volta
once he had finished he left → una volta che or non appena ebbe finito andò via