only
∞
1.0
- adverb
- /ˈoʊnli/
- Only then will rivers like the Mara not only survive but thrive.
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Watch on YouTubeWe drank what you drank, only now we're drunk at work.
- We drank what you drank, only now we're drunk at work.
- I can help you, but only if you're packed tonight.
- I say yes, but only if it's really really good.
Examples
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I say yes, but only if it's really really good.
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However, the group that received only instructions also had only one opportunity to practice.
Academic text (2011) -
And that price is not the only thing that matters.
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All these things matter, but they only matter so much.
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Now who says only men can name their kids after themselves?
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Insects can be a good food source, but only if properly identified and prepared.
Academic text (2011) -
There was no anger in his voice, only a patient desire for her to understand.
Fiction book (1990) -
It is not the only one by any means.
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I can help you, but only if you're packed tonight.
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I would go to the party, but only if I finish my homework first.
Synonyms
∞
2.6
Shows a contrast with what was said before
Idioms
Compounds
- Specialized
1
4.4
A small computer chip that holds information you can use but cannot change
- Specialized
A chip you clear with ultraviolet light and then write new information on it
- Specialized
A part of a computer where information can be looked at but not changed
How Limited
Surface Forms
Etymology
Only kept the idea of 'alone' and came to be used like a small 'but' — pointing to one limit or problem. A helpful way to remember this sense is to think of only as meaning 'except that', which is why we use it to introduce an exception.