Sin"gu*lar (s&ibreve;&nsm;"g&usl;*l&etilde;r),
a. [OE. singuler, F. singulier, fr. L.
singularius, singularis, fr. singulus single. See
Single, a.] 1. Separate
or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obs.]
Bacon.
And God forbid that all a company
Should rue a singular man's folly.
Chaucer.
2. Engaged in by only one on a side;
single. [Obs.]
To try the matter thus together in a singular
combat.
Holinshed.
3. (Logic) Existing by itself; single;
individual.
The idea which represents one . . . determinate thing,
is called a singular idea, whether simple, complex, or
compound.
I. Watts.
4. (Law) Each; individual; as, to
convey several parcels of land, all and singular.
5. (Gram.) Denoting one person or
thing; as, the singular number; -- opposed to dual and
plural.
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.
7. Distinguished as existing in a very high
degree; rarely equaled; eminent; extraordinary; exceptional; as, a man
of singular gravity or attainments.
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.
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.
Singular point in a curve (Math.), 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 (Logic),
a proposition having as its subject a singular term, or a common
term limited to an individual by means of a singular sign.
Whately. -- Singular succession (Civil
Law), division among individual successors, as distinguished
from universal succession, by which an estate descended in
intestacy to the heirs in mass. -- Singular
term (Logic), a term which represents or stands
for a single individual.
Syn. -- Unexampled; unprecedented; eminent; extraordinary;
remarkable; uncommon; rare; unusual; peculiar; strange; odd;
eccentric; fantastic.
Sin"gu*lar, n. 1.
An individual instance; a particular. [Obs.] Dr. H.
More.
2. (Gram) The singular number, or the
number denoting one person or thing; a word in the singular
number.
Sin"gu*lar (s&ibreve;&nsm;"g&usl;*l&etilde;r),
a. [OE. singuler, F. singulier, fr. L.
singularius, singularis, fr. singulus single. See
Single, a.] 1. Separate
or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obs.]
Bacon.
And God forbid that all a company
Should rue a singular man's folly.
Chaucer.
2. Engaged in by only one on a side;
single. [Obs.]
To try the matter thus together in a singular
combat.
Holinshed.
3. (Logic) Existing by itself; single;
individual.
The idea which represents one . . . determinate thing,
is called a singular idea, whether simple, complex, or
compound.
I. Watts.
4. (Law) Each; individual; as, to
convey several parcels of land, all and singular.
5. (Gram.) Denoting one person or
thing; as, the singular number; -- opposed to dual and
plural.
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.
7. Distinguished as existing in a very high
degree; rarely equaled; eminent; extraordinary; exceptional; as, a man
of singular gravity or attainments.
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.
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.
Singular point in a curve (Math.), 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 (Logic),
a proposition having as its subject a singular term, or a common
term limited to an individual by means of a singular sign.
Whately. -- Singular succession (Civil
Law), division among individual successors, as distinguished
from universal succession, by which an estate descended in
intestacy to the heirs in mass. -- Singular
term (Logic), a term which represents or stands
for a single individual.
Syn. -- Unexampled; unprecedented; eminent; extraordinary;
remarkable; uncommon; rare; unusual; peculiar; strange; odd;
eccentric; fantastic.
Sin"gu*lar, n. 1.
An individual instance; a particular. [Obs.] Dr. H.
More.
2. (Gram) The singular number, or the
number denoting one person or thing; a word in the singular
number.