Many very fleet horses, when overdriven, adopt a
disagreeable gait, which seems to be a cross between a
pace and a trot, in which the two legs of one side are
raised almost but not quite, simultaneously. Such
horses are said to single, or to be single-footed. --W.
S. Clark.
2. pl. The reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling
to give them firmness.
3. A handful of gleaned grain. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
4. (Law Tennis) A game with but one player on each side; --
usually in the plural.
5. (Baseball) A hit by a batter which enables him to reach
first base only.
Dogs who hereby can single out their master in the
dark. --Bacon.
His blood! she faintly screamed her mind Still
singling one from all mankind. --More.
2. To sequester; to withdraw; to retire. [Obs.]
An agent singling itself from consorts. --Hooker.
3. To take alone, or one by one.
Men . . . commendable when they are singled.
--Hooker.
No single man is born with a right of controlling
the opinions of all the rest. --Pope.
2. Alone; having no companion.
Who single hast maintained, Against revolted
multitudes, the cause Of truth. --Milton.
3. Hence, unmarried; as, a single man or woman.
Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness.
--Shak.
Single chose to live, and shunned to wed. --Dryden.
4. Not doubled, twisted together, or combined with others;
as, a single thread; a single strand of a rope.
5. Performed by one person, or one on each side; as, a single
combat.
These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant, . . .
Who now defles thee thrice ti single fight.
--Milton.
6. Uncompounded; pure; unmixed.
Simple ideas are opposed to complex, and single to
compound. --I. Watts.
7. Not deceitful or artful; honest; sincere.
I speak it with a single heart. --Shak.
8. Simple; not wise; weak; silly. [Obs.]
He utters such single matter in so infantly a voice.
--Beau. & Fl.
{Single ale}, {beer}, or {drink}, small ale, etc., as
contrasted with double ale, etc., which is stronger.
[Obs.] --Nares.
{Single bill} (Law), a written engagement, generally under
seal, for the payment of money, without a penalty.
--Burril.
{Single court} (Lawn Tennis), a court laid out for only two
players.
{Single-cut file}. See the Note under 4th {File}.
{Single entry}. See under {Bookkeeping}.
{Single file}. See under 1st {File}.
{Single flower} (Bot.), a flower with but one set of petals,
as a wild rose.
{Single knot}. See Illust. under {Knot}.
{Single whip} (Naut.), a single rope running through a fixed
block.