only thing
collocation in Englishmeaningsofonlyandthing
These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withthing.
only
adjective[before noun]
uk/ˈəʊn.li/us/ˈoʊn.li/
used to show that there is a single one or very few of something, or that there are ...
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thing
noun
uk/θɪŋ/us/θɪŋ/
used to refer in an approximate way to an object or to avoid ...
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(Definition ofonlyandthingfrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)
Examplesofonly thing
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Theonlythingwas that it was done privately.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Equality is not theonlythingthat matters to the egalitarian.
From theCambridge English Corpus
For a newspaper correspondent theonlythingto do was close reporting of these bosses.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Theonlythingthat counts is the profitability of the factory.
From theCambridge English Corpus
That's theonlythingthat really surprised me really.
From theCambridge English Corpus
We know the trend all right, it is about theonlythingwe do know.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Theonlythingthat concerns us is step (1).
From theCambridge English Corpus
Theonlythingthat counts is being the best.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Going to the university has become theonlythingthat we are allowed to do.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The language here is fairly straightforward: the use of 'mysterious' is theonlythingof note.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Often theonlythingthat is really lacking is scientific creativity.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Theonlythingthat is left is the landscape, in some places.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Theonlythingis, there are just so many.
From theCambridge English Corpus
In fact, theonlythingconsistent about this book is its persistently weak database and analysis.
From theCambridge English Corpus
This is not to say that 'institutions' are theonlythingthat differs between nations.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Theonlythingwe can do with this continuation is to invoke it using throw.
From theCambridge English Corpus
It is, however, by no means theonlythingto do so.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Given its emphasis on wage repression, this might be theonlythingone would ex47.
From theCambridge English Corpus
It seems that the ' voice of girlpower' really is theonlythingpalatable.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Not surprisingly, mere landscape depiction is not theonlythinggoing on here.
From theCambridge English Corpus
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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See other collocations withthing