01 a. Separate or apart from others; single; distinct.
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1.
Separate or apart from others; single; distinct.[Obs.]“And God forbid that all a company Should rue a singular man's folly.” — Chaucer.
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2.
Engaged in by only one on a side; single.[Obs.]“To try the matter thus together in a singular combat.” — Holinshed.
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3.
Existing by itself; single; individual.(Logic)“The idea which represents one . . . determinate thing, is called a singular idea, whether simple, complex, or compound.” — I. Watts.
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4.
Each; individual; as, to convey several parcels of land, all and singular.(Law)
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5.
Denoting one person or thing; as, the singular number; -- opposed to dual and plural.(Gram.)
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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.” — Denham.
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7.
Distinguished as existing in a very high degree; rarely equaled; eminent; extraordinary; exceptional; as, a man of singular gravity or attainments.
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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.” — Milton.“To be singular in anything that is wise and worthy, is not a disparagement, but a praise.” — Tillotson.
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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.” — Addison.
Phrases & compounds
Singular point in a curve —
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 —
a proposition having as its subject a singular term, or a common term limited to an individual by means of a singular sign.
Singular succession —
division among individual successors, as distinguished from universal succession, by which an estate descended in intestacy to the heirs in mass.
Singular term —
a term which represents or stands for a single individual.
Syn.
Unexampled; unprecedented; eminent; extraordinary; remarkable; uncommon; rare; unusual; peculiar; strange; odd; eccentric; fantastic.