advb. phr.; formerly often written in comb. aton, atoon, atone, attone, as a simple adv. [found in 13th c. along with the fuller phrases at one assent, at one accord, and soon treated as repr. a simple idea, and written aton, a-ton, at-on; in northern writers at ane, a tane, atane. For the sense cf. AT prep. 20. With vbs. of rest, as to be at one, and vbs. of motion, as to bring, make, set at one; whence the vb. ATONE.]
1. In a position of unity of feeling; in harmony, concord or friendship; opposed to at variance, at odds. Sometimes implying a previous state of dissension, and thus = Agreed, reconciled. arch.
c. 1300. K. Horn, 925. At on he was wiþ þe king.
c. 1400. Gamelyn, 166. And went and kist his brother, and than they were at oon.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 435. Y rede ye be at ane Or there dey any moo.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Sam. xxi. 14. After this was God at one with the londe.
1557. N. T. (Genev.), 2 Cor. v. 20. We praye you in Christes stede, that ye be atone with God.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., II. i. 29. So beene they both atone.
1830. Coleridge, Ch. & St., 257. Am I at one with God, and is my will concentric with that holy power?
1881. R. Buchanan, God & the Man, I. 171. The maiden, in her sweet … content, was at one with Nature.
2. Into a state of harmony or unity of feeling. To bring, make, set at one: to harmonize, reconcile. arch. (having been mostly replaced by ATONE v.)
c. 1300. Beket, 1707. That hi were At one ibrouȝt.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerkes T., 381. If gentilmen … Were wroth, sche wolde brynge hem at oon.
c. 1475. Stans Puer, in Babees Bk., 28. Wrathe of children is sone ouergone, Withe an apple the parties be made atone.
c. 1540. Becon, Christm. Banq., Wks. 1843, 75. God the Father is … set at one with us for his sake.
1643. Horn & Robotham, Gate Lang. Unl., xciii. § 911. They that are fallen out (at ods) must be reconciled (atoned, set at one).
1611–1881. Bible, Acts vii. 26. And would haue set them at one again [so Tindale, Coverdale, Cramer, Geneva; Wyclif, acordid hem in pees; Rhem. reconciled them vnto peace].
3. Of the same opinion (as to a matter), of one mind, unanimous, agreed.
c. 1320. Cast. Loue, 492. Þer ne ouȝte no dom forþ gon, Er þen þe foure ben a-ton. At-on heo moten at-stonden alle.
1677. Hale, Contempl. (1688), 62. Is it possible that we should be at one in these points, in which yourselves do disagree?
1877. Page, De Quincey, II. xviii. 43. On one or two points the writer was not wholly at one with him.
† 4. Of the same effect, amounting to the same.
1697. Dampier, Voy. (1729), I. 14. Whether it rained or shined it was much at one with us.
† 5. In one company, together. (? Only in Spenser.)
1591. Spenser, Teares Muses, 418. And all her Sisters … With lowd laments her answered all at one. Ibid. (1596), F. Q., IV. ix. 30. The warlike dame was on her part assaid Of Claribell and Blandamour attone. Ibid., IV. iv. 14. The knights in couples marcht with ladies linckt attone.
6. Comb. † atonemaker, one who sets at one persons at variance, a reconciler; † atonemaking, reconciliation; at-oneness (rare), the state of being at one (with), harmonious relationship.
1533. Tindale, Wks. (1850), III. 275. There is but one mediatour … And by that word vnderstand an attonemaker, peace maker, and brynger into grace and favour.
1548. Coverdale, Erasm. Par. Heb. vii. 27. For what manour of atonemakers were they, who themselfes had nede to be made at one with god.
1611. Cotgr., Conciliation, a reconcilement … an attonemaking.
1877. Furnivall, Leopold Shaks., Introd. 121. I see him at last passing into at-oneness with God and man.
