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Definition of only adverb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

only

adverb
 
 
/ˈəʊnli/
 
/ˈəʊnli/
Idioms
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  1.  
     nobody or nothing except
    • There are only a limited number of tickets available.
    • The bar is for members only.
    • You only have to look at her to see she doesn't eat enough.
    • Only five people turned up.
    • They are second only to Nike in the sale of running shoes.
    • The bill will apply only to young workers.
  2.  
     in no other situation, place, etc.
    • I agreed, but only because I was frightened.
    • Use pesticides only when necessary.
    • Paul has a mobile phone but uses it only in emergencies.
    • Children are admitted only if accompanied by an adult.
    In formal written English only (or only if and its clause) can be placed first in the sentence. In the second part of the sentence, be, do, have, etc. come before the subject and the main part of the verb Only in Paris do you find bars like this. • Only if these conditions are fulfilled can the application proceed to the next stage.
  3.  
    no more important, interesting, serious, etc. than
    • It was only a suggestion.
    • Don't blame me, I'm only the messenger!
    • He was only teasing you.
  4.  
     no more than; no longer than
    • She's only 21 and she runs her own business.
    • I've only ever seen her once.
    • Only about 20 per cent of the crop is exported.
    • It only took a few seconds.
    • It took only a few seconds.
    • Each offer is valid only for one day.
    • She confirmed that the dog incident occurred only once.
  5.  
     not until
    • We only got here yesterday.
    • The black-faced lion tamarin of Brazil was only recently discovered.
    • (formal) Only then did she realize the stress he was under.
    When only begins a sentence be, do, have, etc. come before the subject and the main part of the verb.
  6.  
     used to say that somebody can do no more than what is mentioned, although this is probably not enough
    • We can only guess what happened.
    • He could only watch helplessly as the car plunged into the ravine.
    • I only hope that she never finds out.
    see also read-only
  7.  
     used to say that something will have a bad effect
    • If you do that, it will only make matters worse.
    • Trying to reason with him only enrages him even more.
  8. only to do something used to mention something that happens immediately afterwards, especially something that is surprising, disappointing, etc.
    • She turned up the driveway, only to find her way blocked.
    9. Word OriginOld English ānlic (adjective) (see one, -ly).
Idioms
if only
 
  1. used to say that you wish something was true or that something had happened
    • If only I were rich.
    • If only I knew her name.
    • If only he'd remembered to send that letter.
    • If only I had gone by taxi.
not only… (but) (also)…
 
  1. used to emphasize that something else is also true
    • She not only wrote the text but also selected the illustrations.
    • He not only read the book, but also remembered what he had read.
    Language Bank additionadditionAdding another item
      • Bilingual children do better in IQ tests than children who speak only one language. In addition/What is more, they seem to find it easier to learn a third or even fourth language.
      • Learning another language not only improves children’s job prospects in later life, but also boosts their self-esteem.
      • Teaching children a second language improves their job prospects in later life. Other benefits include increased self-esteem and greater tolerance of other cultures.
      • Another/One further/One additional reason for encouraging bilingual education is that it boosts children’s self-esteem.
      • Studies suggest that bilingual children find it easier to learn additional languages. There is, moreover, increasing evidence that bilingual children perform better across a range of school subjects, not just foreign languages.
      • His claim that children find bilingual education confusing is based on very little evidence. Moreover, the evidence he does provide is seriously flawed.
      • Research has shown that first-language development is not impeded by exposure to a second language. Furthermore, there is no evidence to support the claim that children find bilingual education confusing.
only have eyes for/have eyes only for somebody
  1. to be in love with only one particular person
    • He's only ever had eyes for his wife.
only just
  1. not long ago/before
    • We've only just arrived.
  2. almost not
    • He only just caught the train.
    • I can afford it, but only just.
only too…
  1. very
    • I was only too pleased to help.
    • Children can be difficult as we know only too well.
time (alone) will tell | only time will tell
  1. (saying) used to say that you will have to wait for some time to find out the result of a situation
    • Only time will tell if the treatment has been successful.
you’re only young once
  1. (saying) young people should enjoy themselves as much as possible, because they will have to work and worry later in their lives
See only in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee only in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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Nearby words

sufficiently
adverb
 
 
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