lone
adjective /ləʊn/
/ləʊn/
[only before noun]Idioms - without any other people or things synonym solitary
- a lone sailor crossing the Atlantic
- The attack was carried out by a lone gunman in a crowded shopping centre.
- (especially British English) without a husband, wife or partner to share the care of children synonym single
- a lone mother/parent/father
- Most lone parent families are headed by women.
- Nine out of ten lone parents are women.
Which Word? alone / on your own / by yourself / lonely / lonealone / on your own / by yourself / lonely / lone- Alone, and on your own/by yourself (which are less formal and are the normal phrases used in spoken English), describe a person or thing that is separate from others. They do not mean that the person is unhappy:
- I like being alone in the house.
- I’m going to London by myself next week.
- I want to finish this on my own (= without anyone’s help).
- Lone/solitary/single mean that there is only one person or thing there; lone and solitary may sometimes suggest that the speaker thinks the person involved is lonely:
- a lone jogger in the park
- long, solitary walks
- Lonely (North American English also lonesome) means that you are alone and sad:
- a lonely child
- Sam was very lonely when he first moved to New York.
- a lonely house
More Like This Adjectives that only come before a nounAdjectives that only come before a noun- all-round
- antenatal
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- high-flying
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- utter
Word Originlate Middle English: shortening of alone.
Idioms
a lone wolf
- a person who prefers to be alone