In what capacity is the word "once" used here?

[Mary Anne D.]

In working with my fourth grader, we came across a sentence which says, "Five balloons all popped at once." He is supposed to find the nouns in the sentence. He found the word "balloon" correctly, but also discovered the word "once" as a possibility.

I, too, am a bit confused, as I see in the dictionary that "once" can serve in several capacities (noun, adverb, adjective, conjunction) and that "at once" was listed as a phrase used in the noun capacity. However, it seems to be working as an adverb in the above sentence. Refresh me, please!

Is "once" a noun or not in the above capacity?

[5jj]

The two-word expression 'at once' functions adverbially.

In which dictionary did you see that "at once was listed as a phrase used in the noun capacity"?

[bhaisahab]

The two-word expression 'at once' functions adverbially.

In which dictionary did you see that "at once was listed as a phrase used in the noun capacity"?

I agree, it's an adverb of time.

[engee30]

In which dictionary did you see that "at once was listed as a phrase used in the noun capacity"?

It's not the phrase at once itself; rather, the once in the phrase. Macmillan says that once is a noun in such a case.

[5jj]

It's not the phrase at once itself; rather, the once in the phrase. Macmillan says that once is a noun in such a case.

I don't possess a Macmillan. I'd be grateful if you could copy the entry for me - I'd be interested to see what they actually say about this.

Thanks.

[engee30]

I don't possess a Macmillan. I'd be grateful if you could copy the entry for me - I'd be interested to see what they actually say about this.

Thanks.

Here you are, sir

[Mary Anne D.]

It was entry number 3 of the word "once", used as a noun, in Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, USA, copyright 1979

3 once (noun): one single time: one time at least --- at once 1: at the same time: SIMULTANEOUSLY 2: IMMEDIATELY 3: 3Both

[freezeframe]

It was entry number 3 of the word "once", used as a noun, in Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, USA, copyright 1979

3 once (noun): one single time: one time at least --- at once 1: at the same time: SIMULTANEOUSLY 2: IMMEDIATELY 3: 3Both

I think if you look at the formatting of that entry:

2once
noun
: one single time : one time at least <please be on time this once>
— at once
1
: at the same time : simultaneously

2
: immediately

3
: 2both <at once funny and sad>




The 1,2,3 are different meanings of "at once" where "once" is a noun

[Mary Anne D.]

So I think that "once" can be an adverb and a noun -- at once!

[Buddhaheart]

In working with my fourth grader, we came across a sentence which says, "Five balloons all popped at once." He is supposed to find the nouns in the sentence. He found the word "balloon" correctly, but also discovered the word "once" as a possibility.

I, too, am a bit confused, as I see in the dictionary that "once" can serve in several capacities (noun, adverb, adjective, conjunction) and that "at once" was listed as a phrase used in the noun capacity. However, it seems to be working as an adverb in the above sentence. Refresh me, please!

Is "once" a noun or not in the above capacity?

I think it depends on the rule of the game. If I look at it word by word, I might even add “all” & “five” to your list of supposedly nouns.

Grammatically, “once”, “five” and “all” cannot function as nouns in this sentence. The only noun is “balloons” in its plural form. “At once” or “all at once” functions as an adverb phrase of manner modifying the verb “popped”; “Five” may be thought of as an adjective qualifying the noun “balloons”.