1.
2.
1.
[syn: along, on]
2. indicates continuity or persistence or concentration;
- Example: "his spirit lives on"
- Example: "shall I read on?"
3. in a state required for something to function or be effective;
- Example: "turn the lights on"
- Example: "get a load on"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
On \On\ ([o^]n), prep. [OE. on, an, o, a, AS. on, an; akin to D.
aan, OS. & G. an, OHG. ana, Icel. [=a], Sw. [*a], Goth. ana,
Russ. na, L. an-, in anhelare to pant, Gr. 'ana`, Zend ana.
[root]195. Cf. A-, 1, Ana-, Anon.]
The general signification of on is situation, motion, or
condition with respect to contact or support beneath; as:
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1. At, or in contact with, the surface or upper part of a
thing, and supported by it; placed or lying in contact
with the surface; as, the book lies on the table, which
stands on the floor of a house on an island.
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I stood on the bridge at midnight. --Longfellow.
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2. To or against the surface of; -- used to indicate the
motion of a thing as coming or falling to the surface of
another; as, rain falls on the earth.
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Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken.
--Matt. xxi.
44.
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3. Denoting performance or action by contact with the
surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by
means of; with; as, to play on a violin or piano. Hence,
figuratively, to work on one's feelings; to make an
impression on the mind.
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4. At or near; adjacent to; -- indicating situation, place,
or position; as, on the one hand, on the other hand; the
fleet is on the American coast.
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5. In addition to; besides; -- indicating multiplication or
succession in a series; as, heaps on heaps; mischief on
mischief; loss on loss; thought on thought. --Shak.
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6. Indicating dependence or reliance; with confidence in; as,
to depend on a person for assistance; to rely on; hence,
indicating the ground or support of anything; as, he will
promise on certain conditions; to bet on a horse; based on
certain assumptions.
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7. At or in the time of; during; as, on Sunday we abstain
from labor. See At (synonym).
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8. At the time of; -- often conveying some notion of cause or
motive; as, on public occasions, the officers appear in
full dress or uniform; the shop is closed on Sundays.
Hence, in consequence of, or following; as, on the
ratification of the treaty, the armies were disbanded;
start on the count of three.
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9. Toward; for; -- indicating the object of some passion; as,
have pity or compassion on him.
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10. At the peril of, or for the safety of. "Hence, on thy
life." --Dryden.
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11. By virtue of; with the pledge of; -- denoting a pledge or
engagement, and put before the thing pledged; as, he
affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honor.
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12. To the account of; -- denoting imprecation or invocation,
or coming to, falling, or resting upon; as, on us be all
the blame; a curse on him.
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His blood be on us and on our children. --Matt.
xxvii. 25.
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13. In reference or relation to; as, on our part expect
punctuality; a satire on society.
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14. Of. [Obs.] "Be not jealous on me." --Shak.
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Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner? --Shak.
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Note: Instances of this usage are common in our older
writers, and are sometimes now heard in illiterate
speech.
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15. Occupied with; in the performance of; as, only three
officers are on duty; on a journey; on the job; on an
assignment; on a case; on the alert.
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16. In the service of; connected with; a member of; as, he is
on a newspaper; on a committee.
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Note: On and upon are in general interchangeable. In some
applications upon is more euphonious, and is therefore
to be preferred; but in most cases on is preferable.
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17. In reference to; about; concerning; as, to think on it;
to meditate on it.
[PJC]
On a bowline. (Naut.) Same as Closehauled.
On a wind, or On the wind (Naut.), sailing closehauled.
On a sudden. See under Sudden.
On board, On draught, On fire, etc. See under Board,
Draught, Fire, etc.
On it, On't, of it. [Obs. or Colloq.] --Shak.
On shore, on land; to the shore.
On the road, On the way, On the wing, etc. See under
Road, Way, etc.
On to, upon; on; to; -- sometimes written as one word,
onto, and usually called a colloquialism; but it may be
regarded in analogy with into.
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They have added the -en plural form on to an elder
plural. --Earle.
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We see the strength of the new movement in the new
class of ecclesiastics whom it forced on to the
stage. --J. R. Green.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
On \On\, adv. [See On, prep.]
1. Forward, in progression; onward; -- usually with a verb of
motion; as, move on; go on; the beat goes on. "Time glides
on." --Macaulay.
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The path is smooth that leadeth on to danger.
--Shak.
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2. Forward, in succession; as, from father to son, from the
son to the grandson, and so on.
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3. In continuance; without interruption or ceasing; as, sleep
on, take your ease; say on; sing on.
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4. Adhering; not off; as in the phrase, "He is neither on nor
off," that is, he is not steady, he is irresolute.
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5. Attached to the body, as clothing or ornament, or for use.
"I have boots on." --B. Gonson.
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He put on righteousness as a breastplate. --Is. lix.
17.
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6. In progress; proceeding; ongoing; as, a game is on.
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Note: On is sometimes used as an exclamation, or a command to
move or proceed, some verb being understood; as, on,
comrades; that is, go on, move on.
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On and on, continuously; for a long time together. "Toiling
on and on and on." --Longfellow.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Rub \Rub\, v. i.
1. To move along the surface of a body with pressure; to
grate; as, a wheel rubs against the gatepost.
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2. To fret; to chafe; as, to rub upon a sore.
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3. To move or pass with difficulty; as, to rub through woods,
as huntsmen; to rub through the world.
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To rub along or on, to go on with difficulty; as, they
manage, with strict economy, to rub along. [Colloq.]
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
on
adv 1: with a forward motion; "we drove along admiring the
view"; "the horse trotted along at a steady pace"; "the
circus traveled on to the next city"; "move along";
"march on" [syn: along, on]
2: indicates continuity or persistence or concentration; "his
spirit lives on"; "shall I read on?"
3: in a state required for something to function or be
effective; "turn the lights on"; "get a load on"
adj 1: in operation or operational; "left the oven on"; "the
switch is in the on position" [ant: off]
2: (of events) planned or scheduled; "the picnic is on, rain or
shine"; "we have nothing on for Friday night" [ant:
cancelled, off]