lone

Everyday

1. Lone means alone, the only one there, with no others. tree →
2. A lone parent brings up a child alone. tree →
3. «A lone wolf» is a person who likes to do things alone. tree →
4. In the phrase 'let alone', lone is a short form of alone, meaning not to mention. tree →

In the lessons

In maths it means one single thing, the number 1, which is easy to miss; «a lone bird joined by 5» makes 6. In stories it sets a quiet or lonely picture: a lone tree, a lone rider, a lone figure in the snow.

Examples

• A lone bird sat on the fence. tree →
• The lone apple left on the tree fell. tree →
• Then 5 more birds joined the lone bird. tree →
• A lone tree stood on the hill. tree →
• The lone rider crossed the desert. tree →
• He is a bit of a lone wolf and likes to work alone. tree →
• A lone light shone in the window. tree →
• She was the lone girl on the football team. tree →

Note

«Lone» comes only before a noun (a lone bird); after a verb use «alone» (the bird was alone). «Lonely» is different: it means sad because you are alone. Do not confuse with «loan» (something lent), which sounds the same. Maths: means exactly 1. Trap: easy to miss as a number.