a. [L. sōlus alone.]
1. Of male persons: Alone, by oneself.
In older use esp. in stage-directions.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., II. i. 48. Will you shogge off? I would haue you solus.
1605. 1st Pt. Jeronimo, III. ii. Enter Ieronimo solus.
1676. Shadwell, Libertine, II. Jacomo solus.
1711. Addison, Spectator, No. 29, ¶ 1. The Famous Blunder in an old Play or Enter a king and two Fidlers Solus.
1775. Sheridan, Rivals, III. ii. Julia’s Dressing room. Faulkland solus.
1829. Marryat, F. Mildmay, iii. My meals were sent to me, and I took them solus on my chest.
1852. Mundy, Antipodes (1857), 35. A solvent looking gentleman, solus in a buggy.
1878. H. S. Leigh, Town Garland, 140. It is only when solus, away from the throng, That I’ve hypochondrical fits.
2. Of females: = SOLA a. 1.
1749. Johnson, Irene, V. i. stage-direct., Aspasia, solus.
1844. W. Irving, Life & Lett. (1866), III. 353. This must be the hardest task, for so young a creature, to have to play the Queen solus.
1882. Mrs. B. M. Croker, Proper Pride, I. ii. 13. Mounted on her chestnut pony she would … scour solus round the fields.
