once1 /wʌns/ ●●● S1 W1 adverbadv 1 ONCEon one occasion only 一次,一回 I’ve only met her once. 我只见过她一面。
Paul’s been to Wexford once before. 保罗曾去过韦克斯福德一次。
(just) the once British EnglishBrE spoken Mrs Peterson came in to see Ruth just the once. 彼德森太太仅仅来看过露丝一次。
2 once a week/once every three months etc REGULARone time every week etc, as a regular activity or event 每周一次/每三个月一次等 Staff meetings take place once a week. 员工会议每周举行一次。
They took separate holidays at least once every two years. 他们每两年至少有一次各自去度假。
3 PASTat some time in the past, but not now 曾经,以前 Sonya and Ida had once been close friends. 索尼娅和艾达曾经是很要好的朋友。
She and her husband had once owned a house like this. 她和她丈夫曾经也有过这样的房子。
once-great/proud etc It was sad to see the once-great man looking so frail. 看到曾经的伟人如此脆弱,真让人难过。
the once-mighty steel industry 一度辉煌的钢铁工业
4 in the past, at a time that is not stated 过去,曾经 I once ran 21 miles. 我曾经跑过21英里。
Marx once described religion as the ‘opium of the people’. 马克思曾把宗教称为“人民的鸦片”。
5 at once a) IMMEDIATELYimmediately or without delay 立刻,马上 Now, go upstairs at once and clean your room! 现在立刻上楼去打扫你的房间!
When I saw him I recognized him at once. 一看到他我就认出他了。
b) TIME/AT THE SAME TIMEtogether, at the same time 一起,同时 I can’t do two things at once! 我不能同时做两件事!
Don’t all talk at once. 不要同时发言。
RegisterIn everyday English, when people mean 'immediately', they usually say right away or, in British English, straight away rather than at once: 在日常英语中,人们表示 “立刻” 时一般说right away或straight away(英国英语),而不说at once
I recognized him right away. 我立刻认出了他。
at once• I can't do two things at once!• I can't understand what you're saying when you both talk at once.• You're trying to do too many things at once.• Everyone knew at once how serious the situation was.• Anyone know the answer? Don't all shout at once, put your hand up.• You can't have three weeks' holiday all at once, you'll have to take them separately. 6 once more/once again AGAIN a) again, after happening several times before 再次〔发生〕,又一次 I looked at myself in the mirror once more. 我再看了一眼镜子里的自己。
Once again she’s refusing to help. 她再一次拒绝帮助。
b) used to say that a situation changes back to its previous state 再次〔回到原来状态〕 The crowds had all gone home and the street was quiet once more. 众人都回家去了,街上恢复了宁静。
c) formal used before you repeat something that you said before 再说一次,重复说一遍 Once again, it must be stressed that the pilot was not to blame. 再说一遍,必须强调的是飞行员没有责任。
7 all at once a) SUDDENLYif something happens all at once, it happens suddenly when you are not expecting it 一下子,突然 All at once there was a loud banging on the door. 突然传来一记重重的敲门声。
b) together, at the same time 一起,同时 A lot of practical details needed to be attended to all at once. 许多实际上的细节问题都需要同时处理。
8 (every) once in a while SOMETIMESsometimes, although not often 偶尔,有时,间或 I do get a little anxious once in a while. 我的确偶尔会有点焦虑。
I saw her in the shop every once in a while. 有时我在商店里看到她。
(every) once in a while• But look at them once in a while.• I do need to see every once in a while.• I used to take him out fishing once in a while.• They were both lonely, so why not see each other once in a while.• He just comes round once in a while and they go out.• I only see her every once in a while at school.• All of these Helen used, displayed, wore, not once in a while, but every day, blushing.• He calls me once in a while or I call him.• I think you should change your shampoo and conditioner once in a while to avoid product build-up. 9 never once/not once used to emphasize that something has never happened 从未,从来没有 I never once saw him get angry or upset. 我从未见过他生气或不快。
Not once did they finish a job properly. 他们从来没有把一件事情做好过。
10 (just) for once RARELYused to say that something unusual happens, especially when you wish it would happen more often 难得一次,就这一回 Be honest for once. 诚实点,哪怕就这一次。
Just for once, let me make my own decision. 就这一次让我自己作决定吧。
For once Colin was speechless. 科林这一次无话可说。
11 once and for all a) CHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENTif you deal with something once and for all, you deal with it completely and finally 彻底地,一劳永逸地 Let’s settle this matter once and for all. 我们把这个问题彻底解决了吧。
b) British EnglishBrE spokenTELL/ORDER somebody TO DO something used to emphasize your impatience when you ask or say something that you have asked or said many times before 最后一次〔强调不耐烦〕 Once and for all, will you switch off that television! 最后说一次,把那电视关掉!
12 once or twice FEW/NOT MANYa few times 一两次,几次 I wrote to him once or twice, but he didn’t answer. 我给他写过一两次信,但他没有回复。
once or twice• He played for Northern Ireland once or twice.• He swallowed hard once or twice.• If needed, this can be repeated once or twice.• He was some one I would probably sleep with once or twice and then maybe become friends with afterward.• They merely mentioned it once or twice as a divine possibility.• Even he himself had had to beat it into the ground once or twice as one did a snake.• He'd been smashed on booze once or twice, but this was different.• And you have once or twice, haven't you?• Once or twice, he thought about calling his parents, but then decided not to. 13 (just) this once spokenONLY used to emphasize that this is the only time you are allowing something, asking for something etc, and it will not happen again 就这一次 Go on, lend me the car, just this once. 好啦,把车借给我吧,就这一次。
I’ll make an exception this once. 这次我就破个例。
(just) this once• OK, you can stay up till 11, but just this once.• We've been through this once.• Hadn't she seen something like this once before? she thought vaguely.• But the smiling man who clutched the real trophy after the game spoke, this once, for everyone.• We've done this once or twice before, as I vividly recall.• Maybe this once, the world will display itself as immutable.• Carol told Petey this once to help him stop crying so she could take a look.• Lawyers and supporters of the parents in Orkney questioned both the motives and the methods of this once trusted organisation.• He had sworn this once when he and Adrastus had quarreled and Eriphyle had reconciled them. 14 once upon a time a) spokenPAST at a time in the past that you think was much better than now 以前,从前,那时候〔指比现在好得多的过去某一时期〕 Once upon a time you used to be able to leave your front door unlocked. 从前,大门是可以不上锁的。
b) RFa long time ago – used at the beginning of children’s stories 从前,很久以前〔用于儿童故事的开头〕 once upon a time• After all, it is once upon a time.• I'd have done anything for you once upon a time.• There was, once upon a time, another book from which this kind of scientific certainty was derived.• She might never have ironed shirts, but she too had once upon a time brought Jacob little surprises, little presents.• Perhaps objects like these had been fashionable in churches once upon a time, but no longer, hence the attic.• Once upon a time children did what they were told.• One could spend a lifetime learning a small range of mountains, and once upon a time people did.• However, once upon a time the mathematician was a child too. 15 once in a blue moon informalRARELY very rarely 难得地,破天荒地 It only happens like this once in a blue moon. 这样的情况是极为罕见的。
once in a blue moon• I used to spend a lot of time in London, but now I only go there once in a blue moon.• We go out to eat once in a blue moon.• And Eleanor was damn lucky to have him as an escort once in a blue moon.• So now he just comes round once in a blue moon.• Once in a blue moon Eric will offer to help with the dishes, but usually he doesn't do any housework at all.• That happens only once in a blue moon, when the weather is cold enough and thus the ice thick enough. 16 do something once too often HARM/BE BAD FORto repeat a bad, stupid, or dangerous action with the result that you get punished or cause trouble for yourself 屡次做坏事[傻事,危险之事]而遭殃 He tried that trick once too often and in the end they caught him. 他一次次故伎重施,最后他们终于把他抓住了。
do something once too often• The kids rang Brant's doorbell once too often, and he reported them to the police.• But not Luke Denner - he's humiliated me once too often!• He'd said it once too often, and this time she'd taken him at his word.• He got into trouble once too often and wound up in continuation school.• I can only assume she tried once too often to enter the nest, as the female died during the night.• It had failed him in a crisis and that was once too often.• Maybe she just turned him down once too often.• One of these people had looked in my direction once too often, passed by once again just a little too slowly.• Until, that is, it lived up to its original name once too often! 17 once a ..., always a ...always a ... once a ... spoken used to say that people stay the same and cannot change the way they behave and think 一次是…就永远是…〔表示一个人的品性是无法改变的〕 Once a thief, always a thief. 一日为贼,终生是贼。
18. once is/was enough spoken used to say that after you have done something one time you do not need or want to do it again 一次就够了〔表示你不需要或不想再做了〕
19. once bitten, twice shytwice shy once bitten NOT DO somethingused to say that people will not do something again if it has been a bad experience 一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳