Lexic.us

Definition of One by one

1. Adverb. In single file. "The prisoners came out one by one"

2. Adverb. One piece at a time. "She sold the plates by the piece"

3. Adverb. Apart from others. "The fine points are treated singly"

Definition of One by one

1. Adverb. (idiomatic) Individually in succession; one at a time. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of One By One

one C one L one after another one after the other one and all one and one one and one's one and onlies one and only one and only(a)

one and the same one and the same(p) one another one at a time one brick short of a full load one by one (current term) one can't hold two watermelons in one hand one can run but one can't hide one card shy of a full deck one could be someone's parent

one country, two systems one day one dollar bill one drop one eighty out one eyed jack one eyed jacks one fat lady one fell swoop one finger salute

Literary usage of One by one

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Iliad of Homer by Homer, John Graham Cordery (1871)
"... —one by one Slaughtered, he levell'd to the fruitful earth. But when Sarpedon saw the long-robed bands Of Lycians thus beneath his arm subdued, ..."

2. The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the by Charles George Herbermann, Edward Aloysius Pace, Condé Bénoist Pallen, Thomas Joseph Shahan, John Joseph Wynne (1913)
"... that the verses are said one by one while the first is repeated after each. When Gloria has been said the antiphon is repeated but not a second time. ..."

3. The Complete Poetical Works of Sir Walter Scott by Walter Scott (1900)
"Then one by one was beard to fall The tower, the donjon-keep, the hall. Each rushing down with thunder sound A space the conflagration ..."

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