one by one
In individual succession, with each person or thing following another in order. The children walked silently, one by one, into the schoolhouse to begin their lesson. The usher asked the theater patrons to exit the theater one by one.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
one by one
and one at a timethe first one, then the next one, then the next one, etc.; each in turn. I have to deal with problems one by one. I can't handle them all at once. Okay, just take things one at a time. The children came into the room one by one.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
one by one
Also, one at a time. Individually in succession, as in The ducklings jumped into the pond one by one, or One at a time they went into the office. Formerly also put as one and one and one after one, this idiom dates from about a.d. 1000.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ˌone by ˈone
one after another: She read all of Agatha Christie’s novels one by one. ♢ One by one the guests left.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
one by one
Individually in succession.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.