Adjective

(en adjective)

Harmless; producing no ill effect.

* 1892 , , A Footnote to History , ch. 9:

The shells fell for the most part innocuous ; an eyewitness saw children at play beside the flaming houses; not a soul was injured.

* 1910 , , The Lair of the White Worm , ch. 11:

Other things, too, there were, not less deadly though seemingly innocuous —dried fungi, traps intended for birds, beasts, fishes, reptiles, and insects.

* {{quote-news

, year=2011 , date=September 2 , author= , title=Wales 2-1 Montenegro , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=As the half closed Bale and Ledley both went close with good efforts, but Bellamy picked up a yellow card for an innocuous challenge that also rules the new Liverpool man out of the trip to Wembley.}}

Inoffensive; unprovocative; not exceptional.

* 1893 , , Mrs. Falchion , ch. 12:

Ruth Devlin announced that the song must wait, though it appeared to be innocuous and child-like in its sentiments.

* 1910 , , The Intrusion of Jimmy , ch. 28:

He sat down, and lighted a cigarette, casting about the while for an innocuous topic of conversation.

Adjective

(-)

Living or being by one's self; alone; having no companion present; being without associates.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=55, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Obama goes troll-hunting , passage=The solitary , lumbering trolls of Scandinavian mythology would sometimes be turned to stone by exposure to sunlight. Barack Obama is hoping that several measures announced on June 4th will have a similarly paralysing effect on their modern incarnation, the patent troll.}}

Performed, passed, or endured alone; as, a solitary journey; a solitary life.

Not much visited or frequented; remote from society; retired.

Not inhabited or occupied; without signs of inhabitants or occupation; desolate; deserted; silent; still; hence, gloomy; dismal.

the solitary desert

* Bible, Lam. i. 1

How doth the city sit solitary , that was full of people.

* {{quote-book, year=1931, author=

, chapter=1/1, title= Death Walks in Eastrepps , passage=Eldridge closed the despatch-case with a snap and, rising briskly, walked down the corridor to his solitary table in the dining-car.}}

Single; individual; sole.

(botany) Not associated with others of the same kind.