once meaning and definition

ONCE adverb

Definition of once (adverb)

1. on one occasion
   • "once I ran into her"
   • synonyms: in one case, one time
2. as soon as
   • "once we are home, we can rest"
3. at a previous time
   • "at one time he loved her"; "her erstwhile writing"; "she was a dancer once";
   • synonyms: at one time, erst, erstwhile, formerly