at once, advb. phr.
(ætˈwʌns)
Also 3 at enes, 3–6 at ones, 4 at oones, at onis, atonys, 4–6 atones, -is, attones, -is, 5 at oonys, atte ones, attonys, 6 atons, att onis, attonce, 6– at once. North. 4–6 atanes, -is, atans, 6 atanse.
[at prep. and once, ME. anes, ones, gen. of one, used in sense of OE. áne adv., ‘one time, once,’ instrumental case of án.]
† 1. At one stroke, heat, etc.; with one sweep; once for all. Obs.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter xxi. 15 Als watre outyet I am at anes. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 41 Were it not bet at oones for to dye, Than, etc. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Feb. 38 You deemen the Spring is come attonce. |
† 2. In (or into) one heap, company, or body; together. Obs.
| a 1300 Havelok 1294 That I fadmede al at ones Denemark. c 1350 Will. Palerne 5178 Alphouns & his broþer, & here worþi wiues þat were alle at onis. 1387 Trevisa Higden (1865) I. 227 Ȝif þe stone is oon, telle what craft brouȝt hym vppon; Ȝif meny st[on]es, telle where þey ioyne attones. c 1430 Hymns Virg. (1867) 123 The folke schall com alle attonys. 1508–13 W. de Worde Bk. Keruynge in Babees Bk. 269 Holde these thre endes atones, & folde them atones. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Mar., Mought her neck bene ioynted attones, She shoulde haue neede no more spell. |
3. At one and the same time; simultaneously. (At first scarcely distinguishable from the prec.)
| c 1230 Ancr. R. 420 Ne ne nime, at enes, to ueole disceplines. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 294 Full sodeynly they stynten al atones [v.r. attones, at ones]. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 410/1 Eche man myght haue foure wyues wedded att⁓ones. 1552 Lyndesay Monarche 5027 Sic treasour..In erth had neuir no kyng att onis. 1576 Gascoigne Steele Glass (Arb.) 70 More clothes attones than might become a king. 1677 Moxon Mech. Exerc. (1703) 31 At once, you will have two Sides of your Shank forged. 1714 Spect. No. 599 ¶1 As I had had many Coquettes recommended to me..I let them in all at once. 1870 Bryant Homer iv. I. 121 The gods Bestow not all their gifts on man at once. |
4. With the temporal sense weakened: In one and the same act, position, condition, circumstances, manner, degree; equally, both.
| 1588 A. King Canisius' Catech. 6 b, Mother of god, and ane virgine baithe atanse. 1692 E. Walker Epictetus' Mor. iv, Be rich, and yet true Happiness attain; That is, at once, be very wise and vain. 1709 Swift Trit. Ess. Wks. 1755 II. i. 140 He was at once the judge and the criminal. 1862 Stanley Jew. Ch. (1877) I. xiii. 259 The background at once of the history and of the geography of Palestine. |
† 5. At one time or turn, at each time, every time, at a time. Obs.
| 1563 Shute Archit. F ij a, The encreasing from . 15 . to . 60 . foote increased by . 5 at ones. 1585 Lloyd Treas. Health D viij, Put into the eye a lytle atons. |
6. Immediately, straightway.
| 1531 Tindale Exp. & Notes (1849) 179 The apostles were clear-eyed, and espied antichrist at once. a 1774 Goldsm. Surv. Exp. Philos. (1776) I. 311 This effectually destroys the steam at once. 1812 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 176 If this be their purpose..it ought to be met at once. |