Singular
Singular (sin"gu*lẽr) , adjective
[Old English singuler, French singulier, from Latin singularius, singularis, from singulus single. See Single, a.]
1.
Separate or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obsolete] — Bacon
And God forbid that all a company
Should rue a singular man's folly.
2.
Engaged in by only one on a side; single. [Obsolete]
To try the matter thus together in a singular combat.
3.
(Logic) Existing by itself; single; individual.
The idea which represents one... determinate thing, is called a singular idea, whether simple, complex, or compound.
4.
(Law) Each; individual; as, to convey several parcels of land, all and singular.
5.
(Grammar) Denoting one person or thing; as, the singular number; -- opposed to dual and plural.
6.
Standing by itself; out of the ordinary course; unusual; uncommon; strange; as, a singular phenomenon.
So singular a sadness
Must have a cause as strange as the effect.
7.
Distinguished as existing in a very high degree; rarely equaled; eminent; extraordinary; exceptional; as, a man of singular gravity or attainments.
8.
Departing from general usage or expectations; odd; whimsical; -- often implying disapproval or censure.
His zeal
None seconded, as out of season judged,
Or singular and rash.
To be singular in anything that is wise and worthy, is not a disparagement, but a praise.
9.
Being alone; belonging to, or being, that of which there is but one; unique.
These busts of the emperors and empresses are all very scarce, and some of them almost singular in their kind.
Collocations (4)
Singular point in a curve (Mathematics) , 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.
Singular , noun
1.
An individual instance; a particular. [Obsolete] — Dr. H. More
2.
(Gram) The singular number, or the number denoting one person or thing; a word in the singular number.