From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Singular \Sin"gu*lar\, n.
1. An individual instance; a particular. [Obs.] --Dr. H.
More.
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2. (Gram) The singular number, or the number denoting one
person or thing; a word in the singular number.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Singular \Sin"gu*lar\ (s[i^][ng]"g[-u]*l[~e]r), a. [OE.
singuler, F. singulier, fr. L. singularius, singularis, fr.
singulus single. See Single, a.]
1. Separate or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obs.]
--Bacon.
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And God forbid that all a company
Should rue a singular man's folly. --Chaucer.
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2. Engaged in by only one on a side; single. [Obs.]
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To try the matter thus together in a singular
combat. --Holinshed.
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3. (Logic) Existing by itself; single; individual.
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The idea which represents one . . . determinate
thing, is called a singular idea, whether simple,
complex, or compound. --I. Watts.
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4. (Law) Each; individual; as, to convey several parcels of
land, all and singular.
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5. (Gram.) Denoting one person or thing; as, the singular
number; -- opposed to dual and plural.
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6. Standing by itself; out of the ordinary course; unusual;
uncommon; strange; as, a singular phenomenon.
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So singular a sadness
Must have a cause as strange as the effect.
--Denham.
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7. Distinguished as existing in a very high degree; rarely
equaled; eminent; extraordinary; exceptional; as, a man of
singular gravity or attainments.
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8. Departing from general usage or expectations; odd;
whimsical; -- often implying disapproval or censure.
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His zeal
None seconded, as out of season judged,
Or singular and rash. --Milton.
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To be singular in anything that is wise and worthy,
is not a disparagement, but a praise. --Tillotson.
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9. Being alone; belonging to, or being, that of which there
is but one; unique.
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These busts of the emperors and empresses are all
very scarce, and some of them almost singular in
their kind. --Addison.
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Singular point in a curve (Math.), a point at which the
curve possesses some peculiar properties not possessed by
other points of the curve, as a cusp point, or a multiple
point.
Singular proposition (Logic), a proposition having as its
subject a singular term, or a common term limited to an
individual by means of a singular sign. --Whately.
Singular succession (Civil Law), division among individual
successors, as distinguished from universal succession, by
which an estate descended in intestacy to the heirs in
mass.
Singular term (Logic), a term which represents or stands
for a single individual.
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Syn: Unexampled; unprecedented; eminent; extraordinary;
remarkable; uncommon; rare; unusual; peculiar; strange;
odd; eccentric; fantastic.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
singular
adj 1: unusual or striking; "a remarkable sight"; "such poise is
singular in one so young" [syn: remarkable, singular]
2: beyond or deviating from the usual or expected; "a curious
hybrid accent"; "her speech has a funny twang"; "they have
some funny ideas about war"; "had an odd name"; "the peculiar
aromatic odor of cloves"; "something definitely queer about
this town"; "what a rum fellow"; "singular behavior" [syn:
curious, funny, odd, peculiar, queer, rum,
rummy, singular]
3: being a single and separate person or thing; "can the
singular person be understood apart from his culture?";
"every fact in the world might be singular...unlike any other
fact and sole of its kind"-William James
4: composed of one member, set, or kind [ant: plural]
5: grammatical number category referring to a single item or
unit [ant: plural]
6: the single one of its kind; "a singular example"; "the unique
existing example of Donne's handwriting"; "a unique copy of
an ancient manuscript"; "certain types of problems have
unique solutions" [syn: singular, unique]
n 1: the form of a word that is used to denote a singleton [syn:
singular, singular form] [ant: plural, plural form]