One by one
Example: The children entered the room one by one quietly.
Definition
"One by one" is an expression used to describe actions or events occurring individually and sequentially, rather than simultaneously. For example, when children enter a room one by one, each child enters separately in order.
Etymology
The phrase "one by one" originates from Old English and Middle English usage where 'one' meant a single unit and 'by' indicated succession or proximity. It evolved to express actions happening individually and in sequence, reflecting a straightforward and clear way to describe order.
Learn to use this expression actively
"One by one" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (A1) - set 1", containing 104 commonly used expressions.
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