o ne-off (one-offs )
1 N‑COUNT You can refer to something as a one-off when it is made or happens only once. [mainly BRIT ] □ Our survey revealed that these allergies were mainly one-offs.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A one-off thing is made or happens only once. [mainly BRIT ] □ …one-off cash benefits.
o ne-on-o ne ADJ [usu ADJ n] A one-on-one situation, meeting, or contest involves only two people. □ …a one-on-one therapy session. ● ADV [ADV after v] One-on-one is also an adverb. □ [+ with ] Talking one-on-one with people is not his idea of fun. ● N‑SING One-on-one is also a noun. □ [+ with ] Holloway was beaten in a one-on-one with Miklosko just before half-time.
o ne-parent fa mi|ly (one-parent families ) N‑COUNT A one-parent family is a family that consists of one parent and his or her children living together. □ Many children are now born into or raised in one-parent families.
o ne-piece (one-pieces )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A one-piece article of clothing consists of one piece only, rather than two or more separate parts. □ …a blue one-piece bathing suit.
2 N‑COUNT A one-piece is a type of woman's swimming costume that consists of one piece of material and which covers her chest. □ A one-piece is more flattering than a bikini.
on|er|ous /oʊ nərəs, [AM ] ɑː n-/ ADJ If you describe a task as onerous , you dislike having to do it because you find it difficult or unpleasant. [FORMAL ] □ …parents who have had the onerous task of bringing up a very difficult child.
one's ◆◇◇ /wʌ nz/
1 DET Speakers and writers use one's to indicate that something belongs or relates to people in general, or to themselves in particular. [FORMAL ] □ …a feeling of responsibility for the welfare of others in one's community.
2 One's can be used as a spoken form of 'one is' or 'one has', especially when 'has' is an auxiliary verb. □ No one's going to hurt you. □ One's got to consider all the possibilities.
3 → see one
one|self /wʌnse lf/ Oneself is a third person singular reflexive pronoun. 1 PRON A speaker or writer uses oneself as the object of a verb or preposition in a clause where 'oneself' meaning 'me' or 'any person in general' refers to the same person as the subject of the verb. [FORMAL ] □ To work one must have time to oneself.
2 PRON Oneself can be used as the object of a verb or preposition, when 'one' is not present but is understood to be the subject of the verb. [FORMAL ] □ The historic feeling of the town makes it a pleasant place to base oneself. □ It's so easy to feel sorry for oneself.
o ne-si ded
1 ADJ If you say that an activity or relationship is one-sided , you think that one of the people or groups involved does much more than the other or is much stronger than the other. □ The negotiating was completely one-sided.
2 ADJ If you describe someone as one-sided , you are critical of what they say or do because you think it shows that they have considered only one side of an issue or event. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ There has been a very one-sided account of her problems with Ted.
one|sie /wʌ nzi/ (onesies ) N‑COUNT A onesie is a single piece of clothing that combines a top with trousers. It is usually worn for sleeping or at home. □ She came down to breakfast wearing a onesie.
o ne-stop ADJ [ADJ n] A one-stop shop is a place where you can buy everything you need for a particular purpose. □ A marvellous discovery for every bride-to-be, The Wedding Centre is the ultimate one-stop shop.
o ne-time also onetime ADJ [ADJ n] One-time is used to describe something such as a job, position, or role which someone used to have, or something which happened in the past. [JOURNALISM ] □ The legislative body had voted to oust the country's onetime rulers.
o ne-to-o ne
1 ADJ [ADJ n] In a one-to-one relationship, one person deals directly with only one other person. □ …one-to-one training. □ …negotiating on a one-to-one basis. ● ADV [ADV after v] One-to-one is also an adverb. □ She would like to talk to people one to one.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If there is a one-to-one match between two sets of things, each member of one set matches a member of the other set. □ In English, there is not a consistent one-to-one match between each written symbol and each distinct spoken sound.
one-upmanship /wʌ n ʌ pmənʃ I p/ N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to someone's behaviour as one-upmanship , you disapprove of them trying to make other people feel inferior in order to make themselves appear more important. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …political one-upmanship.
o ne-wa y
1 ADJ [ADJ n] In one-way streets or traffic systems, vehicles can only travel along in one direction. □ He zoomed through junctions without stopping and sped the wrong way down a one-way street.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] One-way describes journeys which go to just one place, rather than to that place and then back again. □ The trailers will be rented for one-way trips.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A one-way ticket or fare is for a journey from one place to another, but not back again. [mainly AM ] □ …a one-way ticket from New York to Los Angeles. ● ADV [ADV after v] One-way is also an adverb. □ Unrestricted fares will be increased as much as $80 one-way. [in BRIT, usually use single ]
4 ADJ [ADJ n] If you say that a course of action is a one-way ticket to a place or situation, or is a one-way journey there, you are sure that it will lead to the place or situation mentioned. □ It seemed like a one-way ticket to riches, but then it all went wrong.
5 ADJ [usu ADJ n] One-way glass or a one-way mirror is a piece of glass which acts as a mirror when looked at from one side, but acts as a window when looked through from the other side. They are used for watching people without their knowledge.