Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Occurring from time to time. See Synonyms at periodic.
- adj. Not habitual; infrequent: took an occasional glass of wine.
- adj. Created for a special occasion: occasional verse.
- adj. Intended for use as the occasion requires: an occasional chair.
- adj. Acting as a cause.
- adj. Acting in a specified capacity from time to time: an occasional hunter.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Of occasion; incidental; hence, occurring from time to time, but without regularity or system; made, happening, or recurring as opportunity requires or admits: as, an occasional smile; an occasional fit of coughing.
- Called forth, produced, or used on some special occasion or event; suited for a particular occasion: as, an occasional discourse.
- That serves as or constitutes the occasion or indirect cause; causal.
- n. A production caused by or adapted to some special occurrence, or the circumstances of the moment; an extemporaneous composition.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Occuring at times, but not constant, regular, or systematic; made or happening as opportunity requires or admits; casual; incidental.
- adj. Produced by accident.
- adj. Of or pertaining to an occasion or to occasions; intended for a specific occasion; for use only when needed, and not regularly.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. occurring or appearing at usually irregular intervals
- adj. occurring from time to time
- adj. recurring or reappearing from time to time
- adj. occurring from time to time
Examples
“Obviously there's a market for the occasional brick, but that's definitely *occasional*, and probably not a lot of people are going to get their bricks published as their *first* books.”
“Henrik Jansson reviews Swedish author Pia Hintze's new novel Älskling in Hbl, and although he has some reservations about what he calls the occasional "chattiness" of the style, he points to Hintze's ability to uncover and portray the reality of relationships and new parenthood in a way that's unusual, as it tears away the layers of social convention and secrecy that still surround many of the issues involved.”
“Sweetie (that's what you call your occasional traveling companion when you know you're stepping outside his comfort zone) - the landlord for that rental next week?”
“As the English word "occasional" often implies no more than”
“Maybe that's why She puts in occasional appearances here on earth.”
“He would then only be able to relate to God in occasional fragmentary attempts.”
“Hauck also throws in occasional tastes of irony, some obvious and others a bit more subtle.”
Book Review: Pistonhead by Thomas A. Hauck « A Progressive on the Prairie
“Returning westward again, and scooping in occasional isolated magazines on the high ground back from the shore, he blew up three cruisers and the battleships Oregon, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Florida — the latter had just gone into dry-dock, and the magnificent dry-dock was destroyed along with her.”
“Many construction marketing and PR people are naturally gregarious with address books detailing numerous friends, colleagues and contacts that they keep in occasional touch with – maybe sending a Christmas card each year.”
Ten things to manage in a recession: 1 – memberships « pwcom 2.0
“Ehrlich got in occasional jabs on taxes and a few other issues, but scored no body blows or knockout punches.”
The Washington Post: First Click, MarylandThe facts behind the debate's DNA claims
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