Forms: 1 ǽene, 2–4 ene, (3 æne). [OE. ǽne, instr. case of án one. Cf. MHG. eine.]
1. Once, on one occasion: opposed to often.
Beowulf (Gr.), 3020. Ac sceal … Oft nalles æne elland tredan.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xviii. 31. Nu ic æne begann to sprecanne to minum Drihtne.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 15. Ne beo þu nefre ene wrað þer fore.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1105. Vor hit bitidde ene swo, Ich am the blithur ever mo.
c. 1325. Chron. Eng., in Ritson, Met. Rom., II. 304. Ene heo [the Danes] him [Edmund] overcome.
2. In phrases. For ene: once for all. At ene: (a.) at one stroke, = AT ONCE 1; (b.) in one group or set, = AT ONCE 2. To make at ene: to arrange, settle; cf. AT ONE 2. See also BEDENE.
c. 1275. Lay., 20462. For ene and for euere.
1297. R. Glouc., 47. Thou nart one y payed oure tresour to nyme at ene.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 291. Þre wordez hatz þou spoken at ene. Ibid., 952. In þat on oure pes watz mad at ene.
