On

Pronunciation

• British Isles enPR: ŏn, IPA: /É’n/
• US IPA: /É”n/
• New York IPA: /É‘n/
• Rhymes: -É’n

From Middle English on, from Old English on, an ("on, upon, onto, in, into"), from Proto-Germanic *ana ("on, at"), from Proto-Indo-European *ano-, *nō- ("on"). Cognate with North Frisian a ("on, in"), Dutch aan ("on, at, to"), Low German an ("on, at"), German an ("to, at, on"), Swedish å ("on, at, in"), Faroese á ("on, onto, in, at"), Icelandic á ("on, in"), Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌰, Ancient Greek ἀνά (ana, "up, upon"), Albanian në ("in"); and from the Old Norse combination upp á: Danish på, Swedish på, Norwegian på, see upon.

Full definition of on

Adjective

1. In the state of being active, functioning or operating.
2. Performing according to schedule.Are we still on for tonight?Is the show still on?
3. (UK, informal) Acceptable, appropriate.right on; bang on; not on
4. (informal) Destined, normally in the context of a challenge being accepted; involved, doomed."Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ―"You're on!"Mike just threw coffee onto Paul's lap. It's on now.
5. (baseball, informal) Having reached a base as a runner and being positioned there, awaiting further action from a subsequent batter.

Synonyms

• (baseball: positioned at a base) on base not informal

Adverb

1. To an operating state.turn the television on
2. Along, forwards (continuing an action).drive on, rock on
• 2012, May 5, Phil McNulty, Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool, He met Luis Suarez's cross at the far post, only for Chelsea keeper Petr Cech to show brilliant reflexes to deflect his header on to the bar. Carroll turned away to lead Liverpool's insistent protests that the ball had crossed the line but referee Phil Dowd and assistant referee Andrew Garratt waved play on, with even a succession of replays proving inconclusive.
3. In continuation, at length.and so on.He rambled on and on.
4. (cricket) In, or towards the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs; the left side for a right-handed batsman; leg.
5. (not US) Later.Ten years on nothing had changed in the village.

Antonyms

• (active, functioning, operating) off
• (to an operating state) off
• (later) after, afterward/afterwards, later, subsequently, thence

Preposition

1. Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
   on the table;  on the couch
• LongfellowI stood on the bridge at midnight.
2. At or near; adjacent to.Soon we'll pass a statue on the left.The fleet is on the American coast.
   wikipedia:Croton-on-Hudson
   ,
   wikipedia:Rostov-on-Don
   ,
   wikipedia:Southend-on-Sea
3. Covering.
   He wore old shoes on his feet.
4. At the date of.
   Born on the 4th of July.
5. Some time during the day of.
   I'll see you on Monday.   The bus leaves on Friday.   Can I see you on a different day? On Sunday I'm busy.
6. Dealing with the subject of, about, or concerning something.
   A book on history.   The World Summit on the Information Society.
7. Touching; hanging from.
   The fruit ripened on the trees.   The painting hangs on the wall.
8. (informal) In the possession of.
   I haven't got any money on me.
9. Because of, or due to.
   To arrest someone on suspicion of bribery.   To contact someone on a hunch.
10. Immediately after.
    On Jack's entry, William got up to leave.
11. Paid for by.
    The drinks are on me tonight, boys.   The meal is on the house.   I paid for the airfare and meals for my family, but the hotel room was on the company.
12. Used to indicate a means or medium.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 4, Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.
13. I saw it on television.   Can't you see I'm on the phone?
14. Indicating a means of subsistence.
    They lived on ten dollars a week.   The dog survived three weeks on rainwater.
15. Away or occupied with (e.g. a scheduled activity).
    He's on his lunch break.   on vacation;  on holiday
16. Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with.to play on a violin or pianoHer words made a lasting impression on my mind.
17. (a drug) Regularly taking (a drug).
    You've been on these antidepressants far too long.   He's acting so strangely, I think he must be on something.
18. (mathematics) Having identical domain and codomain.a function on V
19. (mathematics) Having $$

1. an operator on V
2. (mathematics) Generated by.
   the free group on four letters
3. Supported by (the specified part of itself).
   A table can't stand on two legs.   After resting on his elbows, he stood on his toes, then walked on his heels.
4. At a given time after the start of something; at.
• 2011, September 24, Aled Williams, Chelsea 4-1 Swansea, The Spain striker had given Chelsea the lead on 29 minutes but was shown a straight red card 10 minutes later for a rash challenge on Mark Gower.
5. In addition to; besides; indicating multiplication or succession in a series.heaps on heaps of foodmischief on mischief; loss on loss
6. (obsolete) of
• ShakespeareBe not jealous on me.
• ShakespeareOr have we eaten on the insane root
  That takes the reason prisoner?
7. Indicating dependence or reliance; with confidence in.I depended on them for assistance.He will promise on certain conditions.Do you ever bet on horses?
8. Toward; for; indicating the object of an emotion.Have pity or compassion on him.
9. (obsolete) At the peril of, or for the safety of.
• DrydenHence, on thy life.
10. In the service of; connected with; of the number of.He is on a newspaper; I am on the committee.
11. By virtue of; with the pledge of.He affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honour.
12. To the account of; denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon.On us be all the blame.A curse on him!
• Bible, Matthew xxvii. 25His blood be on us and on our children.

Derived terms

• depend on
• on-campus
• put on airs

Verb

1. (transitive, Singapore) To switch on.Can you on the light?

Synonyms

• turn on

From Old Norse ón, án ("without"), from Proto-Germanic *ēnu, *ēno, *ino ("without"), from Proto-Indo-European *anew, *enew ("without"). Cognate with North Frisian on ("without"), Middle Dutch an, on ("without"), Middle Low German āne ("without"), German ohne ("without"), Gothic (inu, "without, except"), Ancient Greek ἄνευ (áneu, "without").

Alternative forms

• ohn

Preposition

1. (UK dialectal, Scotland) Without.

Usage notes

Usually followed by a perfect participle, as being, having, etc.

Anagrams

• N.O., No, no, no.