a ‧ lone S2 W1 /əˈləʊn $ əˈloʊn/ BrE AmE adjective [not before noun] , adverb
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Origin: all one 'wholly one' ]
1 . if you are alone in a place, there is no one with you SYN by yourself :
She lives alone.
You shouldn’t leave a child alone in the house.
My wife and I like to spend time alone together away from the kids.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people often say by yourself or on your own rather than alone :
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She lives by herself/on her own.
2 . without any friends or people you know:
It was scary being all alone in a strange city.
She was all alone in the world (=she had no family or friends to help her or look after her) .
3 . feeling unhappy and lonely:
I cried like a child because I felt so alone.
4 . without any help from other people:
He was left to raise their two children alone.
5 . without including anything else:
The case will cost thousands of pounds in legal fees alone.
6 . you/he etc alone used to emphasize that there is only one person who knows, can do something etc:
Julie alone knew the truth.
7 . go it alone to start working or living on your own, especially after working or living with other people:
After years of working for a big company I decided to go it alone.
8 . leave somebody alone ( also let somebody alone old-fashioned ) to stop annoying or interrupting someone:
‘Leave me alone!’ she screamed.
9 . leave something alone ( also let something alone old-fashioned ) to stop touching an object or changing something:
Leave those cakes alone. They’re for the guests.
leave well (enough) alone (=not change something that is satisfactory)
In economic matters, they should leave well alone.
10 . be yours/hers/his etc alone used to emphasize that something belongs to someone:
The responsibility is yours and yours alone.
11 . not be alone in (doing) something to not be the only person to do something:
You’re not alone in feeling upset, believe me.
12 . stand alone
a) to be strong and independent:
the courage to stand alone
b) to be at a distance from other objects or buildings:
The house stood alone at the end of the road.
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THESAURUS (for Meaning 4) (for )
▪ on your own/by yourself without help from anyone else:
I can’t move the bed on my own.
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See if you can work out the answer by yourself.
| all on your own/all by yourself (=used when you feel impressed or feel sympathy for someone) :
Did you paint this picture all on your own?
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It’s not fair that she does everything all by herself.
▪ alone without any help from anyone else. Alone is more formal and less common than on your own or by yourself :
Police believe the killer acted alone.
▪ independently without asking for help or advice from anyone:
Students are taught to work independently.
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One day she will have to live independently without the support of her family.
▪ unaided without the help of anyone or anything – used especially about people who are very weak, ill etc:
He is unable to breathe unaided.
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After treatment, he was able to go up and down stairs unaided.
▪ single-handedly doing something difficult or impressive without help from anyone else:
She single-handedly reformed the entire system.
▪ solo by one person, not a group:
Lindbergh’s solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean
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She is planning to release a solo album.
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He sang and played the song solo.
▪ lone adjective [only before noun] doing something alone. Used especially in the following phrases: a lone gunman :
Police say the attack was carried out by a lone gunman.
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The government should do more to help lone parents (=who raise a child alone) .
▪ self-made adjective someone who has become very rich or successful without help from anyone else: a self-made man/millionaire/businessman etc :
Like most self-made men, he was extremely self-confident.