–noun

1.	a particular month, day, and year at which some event happened or will happen: July 4, 1776 was the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

2.	the day of the month: Is today's date the 7th or the 8th?

3.	an inscription on a writing, coin, etc., that shows the time, or time and place, of writing, casting, delivery, etc.: a letter bearing the date January 16.

4.	the time or period to which any event or thing belongs; period in general: at a late date.

5.	the time during which anything lasts; duration: The pity is that childhood has so short a date.

6.	an appointment for a particular time: They have a date with their accountant at ten o'clock.

7.	a social appointment, engagement, or occasion arranged beforehand with another person: to go out on a date on Saturday night.

8.	a person with whom one has such a social appointment or engagement: Can I bring a date to the party?

9.	an engagement for an entertainer to perform.

10.	dates, the birth and death dates, usually in years, of a person: Dante's dates are 1265 to 1321.

–verb (used without object)

11.	to have or bear a date: The letter dates from 1873.

12.	to belong to a particular period; have its origin: That dress dates from the 19th century. The architecture dates as far back as 1830.

13.	to reckon from some point in time: The custom dates from the days when women wore longer skirts.

14.	to go out socially on dates: She dated a lot during high school.

–verb (use 555 d with object)

15.	to mark or furnish with a date: Please date the check as of today.

16.	to ascertain or fix the period or point in time of; assign a period or point in time to: The archaeologist dated the ruins as belonging to the early Minoan period.

17.	to show the age of; show to be old-fashioned.

18.	to make a date with; go out on dates with: He's been dating his best friend's sister.

—Idioms

19.	to date, up to the present time; until now: This is his best book to date.

20.	up to date, in agreement with or inclusive of the latest information; modern: Bring us up to date on the news.

–adjective

1.	only one in number; one only; unique; sole: a single example.

2.	of, pertaining to, or suitable for one person only: a single room.

3.	solitary or sole; lone: He was the single survivor.

4.	unmarried: a single man.

5.	pertaining to the unmarried state: the single life.

6.	of one against one, as combat or fight.

7.	consisting of only one part, element, or member: a single lens.

8.	sincere and undivided: single devotion.

9.	separate, particular, or distinct; individual: Every single one of you must do your best. It's the single most important thing.

10.	uniform; applicable to all: a single safety code for all manufacturers.

11.	(of a bed or bedclothes) twin-size.

12.	(of a flower) having only one set of petals.

13.	British. of standard strength or body, as ale, beer, etc. Compare double (def. 1).

14.	(of the eye) seeing rightly.

–verb (used with object)

15.	to pick or choose (one) from others (usually fol. by out 23d ): to single out a fact for special mention.

16.	Baseball. a. to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a one-base hit. b. to cause (a run) to be scored by a one-base hit (often fol. by in or ho 3e8 me).

–verb (used without object)

17.	Baseball. to hit a single.

–noun

18.	one person or thing; a single one.

19.	an accommodation suitable for one person only, as a hotel room or a table at a restaurant: to reserve a single.

20.	a ticket for a single seat at a theater.

21.	British. < ed2 /tr> a. a one-way ticket. b. a steam locomotive having one driving wheel on each side.

22.	an unmarried person, esp. one who is relatively young.

23.	Baseball. Also called one-base hit. a base hit that enables a batter to reach first base safely.

24.	singles, (used with a singular verb) a match with one player on each side, as a tennis match.

25.	Golf. twosome (def. 4).

26.	Cricket. a hit for which one run is scored.

27.	Informal. a one-dollar bill.

28.	a phonograph record, CD, or cassette usually having two songs.

29.	one of the songs recorded on a single.

30.	Often, singles. Textiles. a. reeled or spun silk that may or may not be thrown. b. a one-ply yarn of any fiber that has been drawn and twisted.