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A one

[ ey wuhn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

noting a vessel regarded by a shipping-classification society as being equipped to the highest standard and with equipment maintained in first-class condition.
Also A number one. Informal. first-class; excellent; superior:
The meals there are A one.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of A one¹

First recorded in 1830–40

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Idioms and Phrases

Also, A-1; A-number-one . First-class, of the best quality, as in This is an A-one steak . The term comes from Lloyd's, the British insurance company, which in its 1775 shipping register designated the condition of a ship's hull by a letter grade (A, B, etc.) and of its cables, anchor, and other equipment by a number grade (1, 2, etc.). By the early 1800s A-1, the best possible grade, was being transferred to anything of superior quality.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"They might live in a one bedroom flat with six people in it and no balcony, they haven't got a garden to run around in and the local parks are run down and not necessarily safe."

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The Reform UK leader campaigns for tougher action against illegal immigration and a "one in one out" policy for legal migrants to ease pressure on housing and the NHS.

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An example: “It was a one act play … that lasted 75 years.”

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Amorim also said his side "should have taken a one goal advantage to the next game".

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The county created a “one stop” permitting center in March to speed up the approval process, but homeowners say the experience has been disjointed, with various county agencies all required to provide a stamp of approval.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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