alone

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   Without any other people.

   She lives alone in a small apartment.

2. 2
   adj

   By yourself, with no one else present.

   The child stayed home alone all afternoon.

3. 3
   adv

   Without any help from others.

   The job was too hard for me to do alone.

4. 4
   adj

   Only; and no one or nothing else.

   You alone can decide what is right for you.

From Middle English allone, from earlier all oon (“alone”, literally “all one”), contracted from the Old English phrase eall ān (“completely alone”), equivalent to al- (“all”) + one. Cognate with Scots alane (“alone”), Saterland Frisian alleene (“alone”), West Frisian allinne (“alone”), Dutch alleen (“alone”), Low German alleen (“alone”), German allein (“alone”), Danish alene (“alone”), Swedish allena (“alone”). More at all and one. Regarding the different phonological development of alone and one, see the note in one.

Topics