Past tense of single; to pick out or select one person or thing from a group, often for special attention or treatment.
From Middle English single, from Old French sengle, from Latin singulus meaning 'one by one, individual'. The verb form developed in the 14th century from the adjective, with the sense of isolating or selecting one item evolving naturally from the core meaning of 'one'.
While we often think of being 'singled out' negatively, the word originally had neutral connotations of simply selecting or identifying one thing. In baseball, a 'single' represents success - getting safely to first base - showing how context completely transforms our perception of isolation versus achievement.
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