be one thing

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

be one thing

1. To be ordinary or acceptable; often used with "be another thing" to contrast two different ideas, situations, or actions.

   Talking is one thing; actually taking action is another.

   • 2020, Thryv, Inc., FKA Dex Media, Inc. v. Click-to-Call Technologies, LP, et al. (U.S. Supreme Court No. 18–916), Justice Gorsuch dissenting:

     It might be one thing if Congress clearly ordained this strange result. But it did not. The relevant statute, the presumption of judicial review, and our precedent all point toward allowing, not forbidding, inventors their day in court.

Further reading

• “be one thing”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “— is one thing, — is another”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.