solon.1adj.
/ˈsəʊləʊ/, U.S. /ˈsoʊˌloʊ/ A. n.1
I. Senses relating to performance by one person.
1. in extended use.1755 J. Hervey Theron & Aspasio II. ix. 8 A spreading Cascade..soothed the Air with a Symphony of soft and gurgling sounds... This liquid Instrument still played its Solo: still pursued its busy Way.1791 W. Gilpin Remarks Forest Scenery II. 295 The rook has but two, or three notes; and when he attempts a solo, we cannot praise his song.1861 O. W. Holmes Elsie Venner iii. 20 Solos on the slate-pencil (making it screech on the slate).1900 F. F. Moore Nell Gwyn viii There came from the room..a loud peal of laughter—not a solo, but a duet.
a. Music. An instance of a song, melody, or other piece of music being rendered or performed by one singer or player; a piece of vocal or instrumental music performed, or intended for performance, by a single person.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > piece of music > type of piece > pieces for specific number of performers > [noun] > solo
solo1695
1695 W. Congreve Love for Love ii. i. 26 I don't much matter your Sola's or Sonata's, they give me the Spleen.
1710 Tatler No. 222 There is not a labourer or handicraftman, that in the cool of the evening does not relieve himself with solo's and sonata's!
1742 A. Pope New Dunciad 316 With nothing but a Solo in his head.
1844 Musical World XIX. 87/3 There was a solo on the cornet-à-piston by König.
1879 G. Grove Dict. Music I. 306 The word was used for vocal soli of some length.
1890 J. Hatton By Order of Czar (ed. 2) II. ii. xiv. 180 Walter..led off with the solo, and the chorus followed.
b. figurative and in figurative context.
ΚΠ
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. v. xi. 210 Tho' the Pedagogue chose rather to play Solos on the human Instrument. View more context for this quotation
1784 F. Burney Diary Oct. (1842) II. 321 I went up stairs as usual, to treat myself with a solo of impatience for the post.
1849 E. FitzGerald Lett. (1889) I. 195 The trees murmur a continuous soft ‘chorus to the solo which my soul discourses within’.
2. Performance by one singer or player.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > [noun] > solo performance
solo1779
soloing1929
1779 Mirror No. 54. ⁋11 In the solo or the song, no such deception as the theatrical is pretended.
1797 Monthly Mag. 3 466 We here find a trio introduced by four lines solo.
1834 A. Prinsep Baboo II. vii. 124 He was obliged to play his flute-parts of the opera, in solo.
1866 C. Engel Introd. Study National Music iii. 111 A very usual form of national songs is that in which Solo and Chorus alternate.
3. A dance by one person.
ΚΠ
1794 A. Radcliffe Myst. of Udolpho III. xiii. 433 Behind, stood a boy, flourishing a tamborine, and dancing a solo.
1855 Englishwoman in Russia 18 Another peasant danced a solo in very good style.
1857 J. G. Wilkinson Egyptians 28 Sometimes a man danced a solo to their sound, and to the clapping of hands.
II. Senses relating to carriage of one person.† 4. A carriage accommodating only one person. Cf. sense B. 2. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > cart, carriage, or wagon > carriage for conveying persons > [noun] > types of carriage > light carriage > for one person
carriole1728
desobligeant1768
solo1787
Stanhope1825
calasha1862
stanhope phaeton1901
1787 J. Pugh Remarkable Occurr. Life J. Hanway ii. 120 His [Hanway's] carriage, which was a kind of Solo, from its holding but one person, was ornamented with his motto, ‘never despair’.
III. Senses relating to something achieved alone.
5.
a. In card-playing (see quots.).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > [noun] > actions or tactics > specific
discarding1592
facing1635
pull1715
lead1742
return1742
discard1778
solo1814
underplay1850
convention1862
force1862
showdown1870
unblocking1885
false-carding1923
passed hand1924
exit1934
reverse1936
loser-on-loser1947
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > ombre and quadrille > [noun] > actions or tactics
mediateur1797
defence1874
surrender1874
whim1874
solo1878
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > whist > [noun] > actions or tactics > declaration in solo
misère1814
misery1843
abondance1888
abundance1888
solo1898
1814 C. Jones Hoyle's Games Improved (new ed.) 189 The quotient shews the number of fish to be paid to each of the successful players by the other two; or in event of a Solo to be paid him by each of the three others.
1875 W. B. Dick Mod. Pocket Hoyle (ed. 7) 144 Solo.—This is an announcement to accomplish the same ends as in bidding to play in ‘suit’, but without the aid of the Scat cards.
1878 H. H. Gibbs Game of Ombre (ed. 2) 38 Solo is an engagement on the part of the Ombre to win the game without discard.
1878 H. H. Gibbs Game of Ombre (ed. 2) 40 If one player has a hand so good as to enable him to venture a Solo.
1898 ‘L. Hoffmann’ Hoyle's Games Modernized 143 [In solo whist] he can call a solo, which is a declaration to make five of the thirteen tricks without having a partner.
b. solo whist, heart solo (see quots. 1898 at sense A. 5a, 1907); also elliptical.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > whist > [noun] > varieties of
whisk and swabbers1699
twelfth whist1752
Boston1800
short1825
long1832
dummy whist1843
preference1852
solo whistc1875
hearts1884
drive whist1885
cayenne whist1887
duplicate whist1891
duplicate1894
straight whist1901
c1875 W. B. Dick Mod. Pocket Hoyle (ed. 6) 146 Thus a player announcing Heart Solo (worth six counters), and having in his hand four Matadores, can bid Heart Solo with four Matadores, equal to ten counters, [etc.].
1888 Wilks & Pardon (title) How to play solo whist.
1892 I. Zangwill Children of Ghetto I. 124 Solo-whist had not yet come in to drive everything else out.
1898 ‘L. Hoffmann’ Hoyle's Games Modernized 142 The objects of Solo Whist are—to make eight tricks out of the thirteen in conjunction with a partner; to make five or nine tricks out of your own hand against the other three players in combination; or to play your own hand so as to avoid taking a trick.
1907 Hoyle's Games 360 Heart Solo. This is solo for 3 players, reducing the pack to 24 cards by throwing out the 8 of hearts and all the diamonds but the 7.
1972 C. Drummond Death at Bar v. 129 They had looked forward to a cosy evening of cocoa and solo with..the other boys.
6. Solo flying; a solo flight.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > air or space travel > [noun] > a flight through air or space > other types of flight
night flight1830
solo1911
mercy flight1933
cross-country1948
general aviation1952
free flight1954
GA1974
instrument flight1988
1911 Flight 16 Sept. 805/1 Capt. Watt made a very good solo round Fargo and Stonehenge, landing exceptionally well.
1920 G. C. Bailey Compl. Airman xxiv. 191 A dual lesson being given after every two or three hours' solo.
1928 T. E. Lawrence Let. 20 Jan. (1938) 569 All decent birds hop it when their infants have done their first solo.
1929 F. A. Swoffer Learning to Fly ix. 84 When a pupil is ready for solo.
1929 F. A. Swoffer Learning to Fly ix. 84 On your subsequent solos practise what you have been taught.
1930 G. L. P. Henderson Pract. Flying xvi. 125 Condemning..these practices as dangerous on the first solo, and indeed for many hours afterwards.
1942 R. Hillary Last Enemy iii. 74 The flight immediately following our first solo was an hour's aerobatics.
1976 B. Jackson Flameout iii. 44 ‘How long to get your license?’ ‘Thirty-five hours to solo, if you're good.’
B. adj.
1.
a. Alone; without a companion or partner; spec. with reference to flying. (Cf. solus adj. and sola adj.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > one > condition of being alone > [adjective]
oneeOE
onlepyOE
onlyOE
alonec1175
single1340
soleinc1381
solitaire1382
singularc1384
solec1400
oddc1480
alonelya1513
uncompanieda1547
a-high-lone1565
bird-alone1572
self-one1602
insociate1606
unmated1615
lonesome1647
solo1727
uncompanioned1809
unfellowed1887
Pat Malone1937
society > travel > air or space travel > action of flying (in) aircraft > [adjective] > flying alone
solo1914
1727 J. Arbuthnot John Bull Postscr. in J. Swift et al. Misc. II. 212 How Lewis Baboon attempted to play a Game Solo in Clubs.
1881 W. S. Gilbert Foggerty's Fairy iii. 70 Lately I've been dancing solo.
1914 H. Rosher In Royal Naval Air Service (1916) 15 Hope to be flying solo by Thursday or Friday.
1918 Punch 3 Apr. 222/2 Yes, he crashed a few days ago—on his first solo flip.
1920 G. C. Bailey Compl. Airman xxiv. 190 After this, dual and solo flying are undertaken alternately.
1928 Daily Mail Year Bk. 24/1 They can obtain the use of a machine in which to fly solo for £1 an hour.
1930 G. L. P. Henderson Pract. Flying xvi. 128 The pupil is now safely solo and well on his way towards his ‘A’ licence.
1934 Sun (Baltimore) 22 Oct. 2/1 Lieut. M. Hansen,..who is flying solo, left Athens at 9.11 a.m. for Baghdad.
1946 Happy Landings July 4/1 The sergeant-pilot..had amassed the considerable sum of two hours solo on Oxfords.
1955 Times 24 Aug. 6/4 Eight years later Colonel Lindbergh took 33hr. 30min. in his monoplane to fly solo non-stop from New York to Paris.
1977 ‘J. Herriot’ Vet in Spin x. 113 ‘I said take her up.’ ‘You mean, on my own?.. Go solo?’
b. Acting alone or without assistance (spec. in New Zealand of single parents).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > one > condition of being alone > [adjective] > acting alone
at single hand1607
aidless1608
single-handed1769
solo1934
1934 Sun (Baltimore) 2 Mar. 19/8 The sportsman pilot..is variously designated as ‘private’, ‘solo’ and ‘student’ pilot.
1965 A. Blackshaw Mountaineering 19 The risks to the inexperienced solo rock climber or snow-and-ice climber are very great.
1966 P. O'Donnell Sabre-tooth vii. 100 She wondered..if an army of mercenaries was being assembled... But no—he was very much a solo man.
1977 N.Z. Herald 8 Jan. ii. 2/7 So far, the research has shown that few solo mothers are out to skin the welfare state by claiming a domestic purposes benefit and living on boyfriends.
2. Made to accommodate one person. (Cf. A. 4.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > [adjective] > roomy > able to accommodate specific number of persons > made to accommodate one person
solo1774
the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > one > condition of being alone > [adjective] > for use of one person
solo1774
sulky1786
individual1839
singlea1859
1774 H. Finlay Postal Jrnl. (1867) 52 I was in a solo chair, Wills the guide was on horseback, leading a horse to relieve the chair horse.
1927 Glasgow Herald 18 Mar. 11 London..has only two ‘solo’ machines. Its members, nevertheless, contrived to put in a total of 84 hours flying during..January.
3. Of musical instruments, or the players of these: Playing or taking the solo part.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > [adjective] > performing solo
solo1862
soloistic1947
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > [adjective] > other attributes
rural1592
unstringed1597
unstrung1598
keyed1761
fingerable1818
keyless1830
omnitonic1861
solo1862
sewing machine1874
unplayed1875
original1899
electrified1938
melodic1938
analogue1976
acoustic1978
1862 Catal. Internat. Exhib., Brit. II. No. 3377 An Euphonion or solo bass in B flat.
1880 G. Grove Dict. Music at Cornet The great organ Solo Cornet comprised either 5, 4, or 3 ranks of pipes.
1893–7 J. S. Shedlock tr. K. W. J. H. Riemann Dict. Music 745/1 Only one violinist (the solo violin, leader) is to play the passage.
1901 Jedburgh Gaz. 9 Nov. 2 [He] was librarian [of the band] and solo euphonium.
4. That is achieved or performed unaccompanied or unassisted.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > one > condition of being alone > [adjective] > acting alone > done by person alone
mere1444
single-handed1709
unilateral1802
one-man1842
solo1909
1909 Flight 18 Sept. 576/2 After making a short ‘solo’ flight he came down.
1914 Daily Express 22 Sept. 7/4 A solo effort by Cantrell, who weaved his way prettily through the defence, brought the winning goal.
1927 Glasgow Herald 30 Sept. 11 He has made the longest solo flight so far achieved by an airman.
1940 Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) 25 Jan. 9/4 Police claim she admits one solo holdup, made to prove her nerve.
1944 Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) 12 Sept. 6/6 The trends within medicine which make solo practice no longer..the best..kind of service for the physician or for the patient.
1955 Times 22 Aug. 8/5 Lord de L'Isle and Dudley, V.C., Secretary of State for Air,..has logged 13 hours' solo flying.
1974 Times 6 Dec. 5/5 (caption) The Prince of Wales after making his first solo deck landing of a Royal Navy Wessex helicopter.
Compounds
C1. attributive, as solo exhibition, solo part, solo-player.
ΚΠ
1785 F. Grose Classical Dict. Vulgar Tongue Solo player, a miserable performer on any instrument, who always plays alone, because no one will stay in the room to hear him.
1789 C. Burney Gen. Hist. Music (ed. 2) I. 347 Pliny tells us that he was..the first Solo player.
1795 W. Mason Ess. Eng. Church Music i. 52 To perform a solo part in the Church Service.
1845 C. Dickens Cricket on Hearth i. 8 The Kettle had had the last of its solo performance.
1859 Habits Good Society v. 217 A bass [voice] should be prohibited, I think, from solo exhibitions, unless very good.
1868 Athenæum 29 Feb. 330/2 At Mr. H. Leslie's concert the soli parts were extremely well sung.
C2.
solo organ n. a partial organ introduced into a larger one, for producing solo effects.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > keyboard instrument > organ > [noun] > partial organ > specific
choir organ1606
chair-organ1636
swelling organ1712
swell1822
pedal organ1829
great1833
solo organ1843
récit1851
1843 Civil Engineer & Architect's Jrnl. 6 108/1 The fourth is the combination or solo organ, upon which..can be played any stop or stops out of the swell or choir, without interfering with their previous arrangement.
solo pitch n. (see quot. 1876).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical sound > pitch > [noun] > concert pitch
concert pitch1735
orchestra pitch1852
solo pitch1876
1876 J. Stainer & W. A. Barrett Dict. Musical Terms 400/2 Solo pitch, the tuning of an instrument a little higher than the ordinary pitch in order to obtain brilliancy of tone with a certain amount of ease to the player.
Categories »
solo stop n. an organ stop of special quality or position for the performance of solos.
solo voice n. (see quot. 1873).
ΚΠ
1868 Athenæum 11 Apr. 533/3 Another new composition for solo voices, chorus of men and orchestra.
1873 H. C. Banister Music 251 The principal voices in an Oratorio or Opera are termed the Solo voices, as distinguished from the chorus.
Draft additions 1993
A motorcycle without a side-car attached; also, a bicycle designed for one rider.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > motorcycle > [noun] > with sidecar > without sidecar
solo1924
society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > vehicle propelled by feet > [noun] > cycle > cycle for two or more people > for one
solo1985
1924 T. E. Lawrence Home Lett. (1954) 359 A solo isn't as secure on a wet road as a side-car outfit.
1935 Motor Cycle 22 Aug. 247/2 I wonder if we shall see a revival..of those two-seater solos?
1985 Tandem Club Jrnl. Apr. 11 The run that we thought might be a non-event..saw a total of 13 tandems and 3 solos gather for lunch.
1987 Back St. Heroes June 22/2 It was common-place for enthusiasts of the day to ride a solo to work and attach a sidecar for weekend jaunts.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
Solon.2
/ˈsəʊləʊ/, U.S. /ˈsoʊˌloʊ/ Palaeontology.
Used attributively with reference to an extinct hominid known from fossil craniums discovered near the village of Ngandong in the valley of the Bengawan Solo river in Java, now dated to less (perhaps much less) than 150,000 years ago; esp. in Solo man.Originally named Homo soloensis but now regarded as a late form of H. erectus.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > protohuman > [adjective]
Cro-Magnon1869
palaeanthropic1890
pithecanthropoid1890
pithecanthropic1897
theriozoic1898
Combe-Capelle1911
Piltdown1912
Predmost1912
Boskop1915
hominid1915
Neanderthalian1920
Tardenoisian1921
pithecanthropine1925
Sinanthropic1931
Solo1932
Florisbad1935
Steinheim1935
Sinanthropoid1937
Swanscombe1937
robust1971
1932 Sci. News Let. 2 July 5/1 The skull of this ‘Solo man’ has a slightly flatter forehead than that of the typical Neanderthaler.
1951 Anthrop. Papers Amer. Mus. 43 205 (title) Morphology of Solo Man.
1973 B. J. Williams Evol. & Human Origins xi. 185/1 The Solo skulls..appear to be more primitive than Neandertal.
1994 G.-J. Bartstra in S. J. de Laet et al. Hist. Humanity I. xvii. 167/1 The Solo remains, although clearly those of a hominid more advanced than Pithecanthropus erectus, nevertheless belong to an early human within the species Homo erectus.
2006 F. Göltenboth in F. Göltenboth et al. Ecol. Insular Southeast Asia xx. 499/1 The past environment of Central Java has been very supportive for the development of Java Man (Pithecanthropus erectus) via the Solo Man (Homo erectus soloensis) to Modern Man (Homo sapiens sapiens).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
solov.
/ˈsəʊləʊ/, U.S. /ˈsoʊˌloʊ/ 1. intransitive. To perform an action on one's own; spec. (a) to perform a vocal or instrumental solo (now usually in jazz); (b) to fly solo; spec. to make one's first solo flight; (c) Mountaineering to climb without a partner.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > perform music [verb (intransitive)] > perform solo
solo1886
society > travel > air or space travel > action of flying (in) aircraft > fly (in) an aircraft [verb (intransitive)] > alone
solo1917
the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > one > condition of being alone > alone or by itself [verb (intransitive)] > act alone
solo1932
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > mountaineering or climbing > mountaineer or climb [verb (intransitive)] > climbing techniques
glissade1837
sidle1867
traverse1897
abseil1908
to back up1909
bridge1909
to rope down1935
jam1950
rappel1950
prusik1959
solo1964
free-climb1968
hand jam1968
jumar1969
layback1972
pendule1973
top-rope1974
crimp1989
free solo1992
1886 W. Booth Orders & Regul. Salvation Army iii. ii. 96 All cannot solo or speak eloquently.
1917 J. M. Grider War Birds (1927) 57 I have been flying for three days and Capt. Harrison says I can solo to-morrow if it's calm.
1931 V. W. Pagé Henley's ABC Gliding & Sailflying 164 In training glider pilots the student usually ‘solos’ from the very start.
1932 Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) 25 Feb. 4/3 The most magnificent bodega was recently ordered to remove its enormous bar and is now trying to solo to prosperity as a restaurant only.
1942 R. Hillary Last Enemy iii. 72 Here for the first time was a machine in which there was no chance of making a dual circuit as a preliminary. I must solo right off.
1956 ‘B. Holiday’ & W. Dufty Lady sings Blues vi. 70 Whenever Basie had an arranger work out something for me, I'd tell him I wanted Lester to solo behind me.
1958 P. Gammond Decca Bk. Jazz xx. 249 With Reinhardt and Grappelly soloing over the pulsating guitars—bass rhythm section.
1962 E. Snow Other Side of River (1963) xxiv. 183 All the items I have mentioned are primary sinews of a modern industrial civilization, the development of which enables a nation to ‘solo’ as a major industrial power.
1964 J. E. B. Wright in Murray & Wright Craft of Climbing v. 35 I solo-ed up the Slab Climb.
1971 M. Tak Truck Talk 148 Solo, 1. to drive a tractor without a trailer... 2. to drive a rig alone when the driver in question is usually part of a two-man operation.
1972 D. Haston In High Places iv. 57 But what to do? Thoughts of soloing down and alerting a rescue party, but that would have meant a major operation.
1977 National Observer (U.S.) 1 Jan. 13/3 If the river is easy, it's fun to solo. But on a formidable stream you need a partner.
2. transitive. To perform (a piece of music) as a solo. rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > perform (music) [verb (transitive)] > perform solo
solo1858
1858 Punch 8 May 184/2 The sweetness of his oratory would be completely wasted on the air of ‘Keemo Kimo’ soloed by the ophicleide.
3. Mountaineering. To climb (a mountain, etc.) without a partner.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > mountaineering or climbing > mountaineer or climb [verb (transitive)] > climbing techniques
traverse1813
rope1855
bridge1909
chimney1940
solo1962
free-climb1968
jam1968
top-rope1974
free solo1977
hand jam1982
redpoint1986
crimp1991
1962 Listener 8 Nov. 758/2 Not that you climb alone; only very talented fanatics or complete fools ‘solo’ hard routes.
1975 G. Moffat Miss Pink xiv. 194 Solo-ing steep rock at Clive's age is just not on.
Derivatives
ˈsoloing n. also attributive.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > air or space travel > action of flying (in) aircraft > [noun] > alone
soloing1929
society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > [noun] > solo performance
solo1779
soloing1929
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > mountaineering or climbing > [noun] > actions
glissading1832
rock climb1861
glissade1862
traversea1877
step cutting1884
hand traverse1897
conquest1902
bouldering1920
lay-back1925
soloing1929
hand-jamming1937
safing1937
rappelling1938
leading through1945
pendulum1945
free-climbing1946
laybacking1955
pendule1957
finger jam1959
jumar1966
jam1967
prusiking1968
jumaring1971
free solo1977
redpoint1986
mantel1987
crimping1990
1929 Papers Michigan Acad. Sci., Arts & Lett. 10 324/2 Soloing, flying alone.
1971 C. Bonington Annapurna South Face 324 Soloing, climbing without the security of a rope.
1973 C. Bonington Next Horizon v. 90 Dick..was unaccustomed to fast soloing, and eventually they had turned back before even reaching the foot of the climb proper.
1977 Rolling Stone 24 Mar. 66/2 His guitar style combines Hendrix-inspired production technique with virtuoso soloing ability.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1adj.1695n.21932
v.1858- pearl margarite
- pearl merchant
- pearl mica
- pearl millet
- pearl moss
- pearl moth
- pearl mussel
- pearl nautilus
- pearl necklace
- pearl of orient
- pearl of wisdom
- pearl onion
- pearl opal
- pearl organ
- pearl oyster
- pearl perch
- pearl plant
- pearl pottery
- pearl powder
- pearl purl
- pearl sago
- pearl shell
- pearl shelling
- pearl sinter
- pearl skipper