ɔn prep., adv.,
adj., & n. --prep. 1 (so as to be) supported by or attached to or
covering or enclosing (sat on a
chair;
stuck on
the wall; rings on
her fingers; leaned on
his elbow). 2 carried
with;
about the
person of (have
you a
pen on you?). 3 (of time)
exactly at;
during; contemporaneously with (on 29
May; on the
hour; on
schedule;
working on Tuesday). 4
immediately after or
before (I saw
them on my return). 5 as a
result of (on
further examination I found this). 6 (so as to be) having
membership etc. of or
residence at or in (she is on the
board of directors;
lives on the continent). 7 supported financially by (lives on ø50 a
week; lives on his wits). 8 close
to;
just by (a
house on the
sea; lives on the main road). 9 in the
direction of;
against. 10 so as to
threaten;
touching or
striking (advanced on
him; pulled a
knife on
me; a punch on the nose). 11 having as an axis or
pivot (turned on his heels). 12 having as a
basis or
motive (works on a
ratchet; arrested on suspicion). 13 having as a
standard,
confirmation, or
guarantee (had it on
good authority;
did it on
purpose; I
promise on my word). 14
concerning or about (writes on frogs). 15 using or
engaged with (is on the
pill;
here on business). 16 so as to affect (walked
out on her). 17 at the
expense of (the drinks are on me; the
joke is on him). 18 added to (disaster on
disaster;
ten pence on a
pint of beer). 19 in a specified
manner or
style (often foll. by the + adj. or
noun: on the
cheap; on the run). --adv. 1 (so as to be) covering or in
contact with
something,
esp. of
clothes (put
your boots on). 2 in the
appropriate direction;
towards something (look on). 3 further
forward; in an advanced
position or
state (time is getting on; it happened later on). 4 with continued
movement or
action (went plodding on; keeps on complaining). 5 in
operation or
activity (the
light is on; the chase
was on). 6
due to
take place as planned (is the party still on?). 7 colloq. a (of a person)
willing to
participate or
approve, or
make a
bet. b (of an
idea,
proposal, etc.)
practicable or
acceptable (that's just
not on). 8
being shown or performed (a good
film on tonight). 9 (of an actor) on
stage. 10 (of an employee) on
duty. 11 forward (head on). --adj. Cricket designating the
part of the
field on the striker's
side and in
front of the
wicket. --n. Cricket the on side. øbe on about
refer to or
discuss esp. tediously or persistently (what are
they on about?). be on at colloq. nag or
grumble at. be on to 1
realize the
significance or intentions of. 2
get in
touch with (esp. by telephone). on and
off intermittently;
now and
then. on and on continually; at
tedious length. on-line Computing (of
equipment or a process)
directly controlled by or
connected to a
central processor. on-off 1 (of a switch) having
two positions, 'on' and 'off'. 2 = on and off. on-stage adj. & adv. on the stage;
visible to the
audience. on-street (with
ref. to parking vehicles) at the side of a
street. on
time punctual, punctually. on to to a position or state on or in contact with (cf. ONTO). [OE on, an f. Gmc]
