| 释义 |
▪ I. on, prep.
(ɒn, unstr. ən)
Also 1–5 an, 2–5 o, a (see an prep., a prep.1, o prep.1); (3 æn, Orm. onn, 4–5 oon, 5 onne, 5–6 one, un, 6 onn).
[OE. an, on = OFris. an, OS. and ODu. ana, an (MDu. ane, an, aen, Du. aan (dial. an), MLG. an, LG. ân, an), OHG. ana, an (MHG. ane, an, Ger. an), ON. á (Norw., ODa. aa, OSw. å), Goth. ana:—OTeut. *ana prep. adv. = Gk. ἀνά on, upon, up, Zend ana upon, Oscan and Umbrian an. The original WGer. an was sometimes retained in OE. (see an prep.), but the regular stressless form was on. Before 1200, unstressed on before a cons. was worn down to o and a, e.g. o þisse wise on this wise, o live, a live in life, and in this form often coalesced with the following word as olive, alive; when the following word began with a vowel, the enclitic form was an, as an-edge, an-ende, an-hand, an-high. See a prep.1, an prep., o prep.1 This form a (rarely an) survives only when its connexion with on is no longer felt, and usually in combination, as ashore, or in special constructions as set a going. The regular prep. and adv. is on. But in 16–18th c. the prep. was often colloquially, and in the dramatists, reduced to o', as in o' my life (Shakes.), o' my conscience (Sheridan), a form now prevalent in north Eng. dialects: see Eng. Dial. Dict.]
General Sense:—The preposition expressing primarily the relation of contact with or proximity to the surface of anything, and so that of being supported or upheld by it; also, from the earliest times expressing motion to or towards such a position; these two senses being (as in the preposition in) distinguished by the case of the word affected, the former taking, in OE., the dat. (rarely the instrumental) for earlier locative, the latter the acc. or case of motion towards. But the OE. point of view often differed from the modern, so that the accusative was not seldom used where we should expect the dative, and vice versa. (See Wülfing Syntax Alfreds des Grossen II. §784, 801, 821). In ME., the distinction of case disappeared, but on continued in both uses, the sense being generally indicated by the accompanying verb (e.g. to lie on, to lay on), though not infrequently with ambiguity, to remedy which the sense of motion began in the 16th c. to be indicated in case of need by the collocation on to, now sometimes written onto, after the analogy of into.
From the earliest times in the Teutonic langs. this prep. has been used in reference not merely to the upper surface or top of a thing, but to the front or any surface (this being the mod.Ger. and Du. use of an, aan, e.g. an der thür at the door, an die thür to the door); this was also the use in OE. But here on received a notable extension of sense, by being used to include also the notion of ‘in’, almost to the elimination of the prep. in from W. Sax. and the dialects influenced by it. (Cf. in prep.) So in Early southern ME., on still included the sphere of both ‘on’ and ‘in’ (sense 5); but in was gradually restored; not, however, without the survival of many traces of the former prevalence of on; thence also a difficulty, in some of the transferred senses, in determining whether the starting-point was ‘on’ or ‘in’. Eventually, not only was this extension in the direction of ‘in’ given up, but the language has shown a growing tendency to restrict on to the upper or at least the supporting surface, = F. sur, so as to correspond in use rather to auf than an in German; this comes out strongly also in the transf. and fig. senses in which on indicates the basis or foundation of action, feeling, etc. In OE., when the upper surface was specially in view, ofer was sometimes used; but the notion was usually expressed by the combination uppan, uppon (= up + on: cf. ON. upp á). When, in course of time, on itself came to be more associated with the upper surface, the distinction between on and upon gradually faded away, and upon may now be used instead of on, in positions into which no notion of up enters (see upon). These changes in the sense-territory covered at different times by on make the historical and logical order of the senses difficult; and the following arrangement is in many respects provisional. Even the primary division into senses implying position and those implying motion or direction is difficult to carry out in the figurative uses, in some of which the point of view has gradually changed since they first arose, so that what was originally felt to express a direction of the mind towards something is now felt as a static attitude or mental state.
I. Of position. [OE. on with dative.]
* Of local position outside of, but close to or near, any surface. Primarily of things physical, but also of non-physical things treated as having extension.
1. a. Above and in contact with, above and supported by; upon.
c900tr. Bæda's Hist. v. xvii. [xix.] (1890) 460 Wilfrið..on domsetle sittende wæs. c975Rushw. Gosp. Matt. xxi. 5 Sittende on [Ags. Gosp. uppan] eosule & on folan sunu þære teoma. c1220Bestiary 1 Ðe leun stant on hille. a1300Cursor M. 13435 (Gött.) Iohn þe godspeller, Þat lai on [Cott. o] iesu brest at super. 1382Wyclif Matt. v. 14 A citee putt on a hill may nat be hid. c1386Chaucer Prol. 370 Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys To sitten in a yelde⁓halle on a deys. c1425Lydg. Assembly of Gods 803 A fawcon gentyll stood on hys helme on hy. 1483Cath. Angl. 259/2 On, super. 1588Shakes. Tit. A. ii. iii. 12 The birds chant melody on every bush. 1656S. Holland Zara (1719) 99 He sat a long time on his Horse back in a profound study. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 686 Scum that on the molten Silver swims. 1819Metropolis III. 183 The supper on table ten minutes after our arrival. 1823Byron Island iv. iv, They rested on their paddles. 1894J. Knight Garrick x. 168 Garrick..found himself on the horns of a dilemma.
b. Said in reference to (the) earth, land, ocean, sea, water, etc.; also, any part of the earth viewed as a surface, e.g. a common, moor, heath, plateau.
With earth, field, road, street, way, etc. usage varies, or has varied, between on and in, according as they are viewed: cf. in prep.1, and see the individual words.
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. xvi. 102 Crist ða he on eorðan wæs. a1000Sal. & Sat. 583 Yldo beoð on eorðan æᵹhwæs cræftiᵹ. 1122–31O.E. Chron. an. 1122 Þær-æfter wæron feole scip-men on sæ and on wæter. c1200Ormin 5577 Himm reoweþþ þatt he dwelleþþ her Swa swiþe lange onn eorþe. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 7 Þe moste parti of þe peple þat passeþ nou on eorþe. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) i. 3 He may wende many ways, bathe on þe see and on þe land. 1542Udall Erasm. Apoph. 254 b, In battaill on the sea. Ibid. 170 a, He tooke with hym..a greate mayny that he happely mette on y⊇ waye as he wente. 1549Compl. Scot. vi. 60 Sche vas on the feildis for hyr recreatione. 1754J. Shebbeare Matrimony (1766) II. 227 On the streets of London. 1760Goldsm. Cit. W. ii, More painful..than all the journies I ever made on land. 1797Nelson 7 Dec. in Nicolas Disp. (1845) III. 188 Captain Troubridge on shore is superior to Captains afloat. 1807Crabbe Par. Reg. ii. 74 On life's tempestuous sea. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 539 During his residence on the Continent. 1871Morley Voltaire (1886) 29 Ideas of grace and beauty, whose forms were old on the earth. 1898Century Mag. Mar. 796/1 He..occasionally took a short stroll on the street.
c. Indicating the part of the body which supports one, being itself in contact with the ground, etc.: e.g. on one's feet, knees, legs, back, face, on tiptoe, on all fours.
c893K. ælfred Oros. iii. ix. §14 On cneowum sittende. c1000ælfric Gen. iii. 14 Ðu gæst on þinum breoste. c1000Sax. Leechd. II. 154 ᵹif mon þung ete..stande on heafde. c1205Lay. 32046 Þe king læi on cneouwen. c1350Will. Palerne 1766 William & þe mayde þat were white beres, gon forþ..on here foure fet. 1594T. Bedingfield tr. Machiavelli's Florentine Hist. (1595) 12 Constrained to come to Rome on barefoot. 1631Gouge God's Arrows i. §29. 44 Creeping..on their bare knees. 1829Macaulay Ess., Civil Disabil. Jews (1887) 145 That he should..talk about being on his legs. 1885Anstey Tinted Venus xii. 150 Leander went down on all fours on the hearth-rug.
d. Said in reference to a means of conveyance: e.g. on foot, on horseback, on an ass, on the wind, on the wing, etc.: see also the ns. (With an enclosing carriage, in is used.) Also in reference to a means of communication, as on the air (see air n.1 1 c), on the telephone, etc. Hence, broadcast on a specified channel, frequency, or wavelength.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxxvi. §6 [5] Ða cild ridað on hiora stafum. 1127–31O.E. Chron. an. 1127 Hi ridone on swarte hors & on swarte bucces. 1140–53Ibid. (Laud MS.) an. 1140 Scæ fleh & iæde on fote to Walingford. c1205Lay. 502 An horsen & an [c 1275 a] foten. c1400Mandeville (1839) v. 58 Be this Desert, no Man may go on Hors back. 1539Bible (Great) 1 Sam. xxv. 20 As she rode on her asse. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 761 When his Head,..Wash'd by the Waters, was on Hebrus born. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. viii. 218 Mackaws..wheeling and playing on the wing. 1844Mrs. Browning Rom. Page xii, Now the vision..Wheeleth on the wind around. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. iii. I. 387 The bags were carried on horseback. 1886Century Mag. XXXII. 471/2, I should go away on the first train. 1917R. Fry Let. 23 Nov. (1972) II. 420 London's just awful for me because of the millions of people that catch me on the telephone. c1928Ibid. 632 I've just been talking for the second time today with Vanessa on the 'phone. 1929Ibid. 5 Feb. 636, I have still two ‘talks’ hanging over me—one at the Athenaeum Club and one on the wireless. 1944Sun (Baltimore) 7 Jan. 8/3 Common usage is unerringly correct: one does not hear a program in or even by or through the radio. He hears it on the radio. 1966Listener 11 Aug. 190 Viscount Dilhorne and Lord Shawcross, Q.C., interviewed by Robin Day on B.B.C.-1. Ibid. 8 Sept. 363/3 Earlier, on B.B.C.-2, Rozhdestvensky was back again with the Moscow Radio Orchestra and the young pianist Nicolai Petrov. 1969D. E. Westlake Up your Banners xviii. 124 The beautician hollered from the living room, ‘Leona, come quick! You're on the TV!’ 1973P. O'Donnell Silver Mistress iv. 73 Get on the phone and book three seats..to Hong Kong. 1974Oxford Mail 1 May 4/7 James Dalton, the Queen's College organist, can be heard on Radio Three on Monday. 1977Custom Car Nov. 11/3 Anyone with that kind of money contact Richard on Berkhampstead 71619.
e. Said in reference to a supporting axis, pivot, or centre of revolution.
885[see ax n.]. 1635–[see axle2 1 c, 3]. 1762[see hinge n.]. 1832Prop. Reg. Instr. Cavalry iii. 55 A Line is ordered to ‘Change Front’ on a flank. 1847Infantry Man. (1854) 63 The sections are wheeling on their pivot men. 1859F. A. Griffiths Artil. Man. (1862) 32 Change front on the left company. Ibid. 33 To change front on a flank Company in echellon. 1868Lockyer Elem. Astron. iii. x. (1879) 56 All the planets rotate, or turn on their axes, in the same direction.
f. Indicating that on which the hands are placed in making oath; also with conscience, faith, honour, etc., as the basis of an oath or affirmation.
In OE. the dative was used with the material object touched, the accusative with the ideal object or absent being appealed to.
876O.E. Chron., Ond him þa aþas sworon on þam halᵹan beaᵹe. c893K. ælfred Oros. iv. vi. §15 He him ᵹeswor on his goda noman þæt [etc.]. a1000Laws of æthelred iii. ii. (Schmid), Þe he durre on þam haliᵹdome swerian þe him man on hand sylð. c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxiii. 20 Witodlice seþe swereþ on weofude, he swereð on him and on eallum þam þe him ofer synt. c1000Ags. Ps. (Th.) lxii. 9 Ealle þa ðe on hine aðas sweriað [L. qui jurant in co]. a1023Wulfstan Hom. xlvi. (1883) 232 Ic eow halsiᵹe..on ealle Godes halᵹan and on ða cyrcan, ðe ᵹe to ᵹelyfaþ. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 110 Þe þrid poynt þei wild..Þat þe Danegelde for euer suld be forgyuen,..he suore þat on þe boke. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 952 Thay swoir on thair swordis swyftlie all thre. 1525Ld. Berners Froiss. II. clx. [clvi.] 442 Let hym go on goddes name whider it shall please hym. 1768Goldsm. Good-n. Man 1, On my conscience, I believe [it]. 1785tr. Fleury's Hist. Gt. Brit. V. v. i. §1. 238 All these hostages took a solemn oath on the gospels. 1856Bouvier Law Dict. I. 589 In courts of equity peers..answer on their honor only.
g. In various elliptical and transferred uses, as (a) = Stationed on, at, or in charge of; (b) subsisting or dependent on; in the charge or care of; (c) on the list or staff of, employed on; (d) on an official list, e.g. on half-pay.
1712Budgell Spect. No. 313 ⁋17 [One] endeavoured to raise himself on the Civil List, and the other..on the Military. 1761Gray Lett. Wks. 1884 III. 86 If the boy was to be on the foundation [at Eton]. 1794Nelson 8 July in Nicolas Disp. (1845) I. 249, I have told Captain Stephens and Captain Wilkes, who is on the battery, that [etc.]. 1798Miller ibid. VII. p. clix, Having made one strong cable fast to the Tonnant and desired sentinels to be placed on it on board her. 1834H. Miller Scenes & Leg. xx. (1857) 296 She had to leave her mother on the care of a neighbour. 1843Fraser's Mag. XXVIII. 336 A colonel on half-pay. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xii. III. 205 Scarcely ever had he been on a grand jury. 1882P. Fitzgerald Recreat. Lit. Man (1883) 139 A leading writer on the press. 1885Times (weekly ed.) 27 Feb. 2/4 A captain on the General Staff. 1890Pall Mall G. 8 Nov. 3/1 Speaking of their several avocations..I learned that So-and-so was ‘on the pigs’, another ‘on the kitchen’, and a third ‘on the table’.
h. Hence arise many phrases, originally expressing physical situation, of which the sense becomes more or less figurative, as an expression of what is done or implied in such a position. Such are the following, for which see the respective ns.:
on the bench, on the boards, on the books, on the cards, on the carpet, on 'Change, on the fence, on the field, on foot, on hand, on one's hands, on one's own hook, on one's knees, on one's legs, on the market, on the nail, on the parish, on the rack, on the shelf, on the spot, on the streets, on the stump, on tenterhooks, on the throne, on the turf, on the way, on the wing, on the world. Phrases originally literal, when thus used fig., sometimes serve as models for others which never were literal, e.g. on a level, on an equality, on a par.
i. Indicating a musical instrument which is being played, = upon prep. 25. Of a musician: playing (a specified musical instrument) colloq. (orig. U.S.).
c1386Chaucer Miller's T. (1885, Harl. MS. 7334) 3214 And al aboue þer lay a gay Sawtrye On which he made a nightes melodye. c1400[see play v. 26 a]. a1529[see lute n.1 1 a]. 1767,1768[see pianoforte]. 1842,1903[see perform v. 7 c]. 1926Whiteman & McBride Jazz xii. 241 Gus Miller..was wonderful on the clarinet and saxophone. 1934Down Beat Aug. 4/2 Oscar Eiler remains on cello... Hunter Kahler replaced George Frewit on piano... Milt. Chalifoux is still on drums, as is Ralph Mazza on guitar and violin. 1955Shapiro & Hentoff Hear me talkin' to Ya xiii. 206 Our three pieces including Sonny, Sterling Conway on banjorine, and myself. Ibid. 251 We went into the Little Club—Gil Rodin, myself, and Benny Goodman on saxes, Glenn Miller on trombone..; and Ben Pollack, of course, on drums. 1962Sunday Times (Colour Suppl.) 10 June 3 A powerful and accomplished saxophonist—mainly on alto, originally rather too closely modelled on Charlie Parker. 1971Radio Times 11 Nov. 3/4 Neither Cat Anderson on trumpet nor Lawrence Brown on trombone were able to make this tour.
j. Math. (Defined or expressed) in terms of (the elements of).
1934Ann. Math. XXXV. 119 By an abstract ε p⁓simplex σρ on A is meant a set of p +1 points of A whose sum is of diameter 1 with values in T. 1968E. T. Copson Metric Spaces i. 11 Suppose we have a relation ∼ defined on a set E. 1971Sci. Amer. Aug. 94/3 The objects..will be real-valued functions f defined on some set S. In other words, f is a rule that assigns to each point s belonging to the set S a real number f (s) belonging to the real-number set. 1971Nature 31 Dec. 527/1 We define a pairwise dissimilarity matrix d on a set of objects P as a real-valued function on pairs of elements of P such that d(a, b) ⩾0 for all a, b in P [etc.].
k. Addicted to or regularly taking (a drug or drugs). Cf. on adv. 1 b. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
1936Amer. Speech XI. 124/2 On drugs, addicted. 1955Shapiro & Hentoff Hear me talkin' to Ya xxi. 333 The habit is a false crutch. Don't get on the H. Ibid. 335, I don't think all musicians are on junk by any means. 1971Lancet 30 Oct. 985/1 A woman aged 49 received lithium carbonate 900 mg. daily... She was also on tranylcypromine 30 mg. daily. 1972M. J. Bosse Incident at Naha i. 60 Linda..asked what I was on these days. ‘Pot, and not much of that,’ I told her. 1972D. Selman Sudden Death iv. 96, I suppose he didn't truly rape me... I mean I'm on the pill and everything. 1973Boyd & Parkes Dark Number vii. 82 Julia went through a pretty bad time..after the accident—on the pills, seeing psychiatrists and what have you. 1976P. Hill Hunters v. 59 He dropped his mouth to hers... ‘Are you on the pill?’ he asked.
l. Drinking (alcoholic liquor) in large quantities or to excess. on the booze: see booze n. 2 b; on it (Austral. colloq.): drinking heavily, ‘hitting the bottle’.
1938E. Lowe Salute to Freedom 38 He knew how drink affected Brand, and he muttered to his wife, ‘He's on it proper to day mother.’ 1951E. Lambert Twenty Thousand Thieves ix. 140 ‘They reckon Groggy's on it again,’ observed Tommy. 1955P. White Tree of Man (1956) 141 ‘It is him,’ she said finally. ‘It is that bastard. He is on it again.’ 1962A. Seymour One Day of Year 12 And how long was you on it before the pubs shut? a1966‘M. na Gopaleen’ Best of Myles (1968) 291 Easy seen you were on the beer last night. 1966‘J. Hackston’ Father clears Out 104 When he was on it, and wanted..another drink..he never had to press the bell, but pressed the button with a bullet. 1967H. Storey in Coast to Coast 1965–66 203 One of the neighbours had ribbed him about ‘being on the bottle’. 1976Daily Mirror 18 Mar. 9/3 Watch that daily tipple, ladies. You could end up on the bottle.
2. Expressing contact with any surface, whatever its position; e.g. to hang, stick on a wall; to border on an estate; a fly walking on the ceiling; blisters on the soles of the feet. Also, of things that cover or clothe, as a coat on his back, shoes on his feet, a book with a cover on it.
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. xxi. 152 Ealle ða hearᵹas..wæron atifred on ðæm waᵹe. a900Cynewulf Christ 1115 Þa he on rode wæs. c1205Lay. 511 Alle heo sculden hongien On heȝe treowen. 1470–85Malory Arthur v. v, He satte atte souper gnawynge on a lymme of a man. 1508Dunbar Gold. Targe 55 And hard on burd vnto the blomyt medis..Arrivit sche. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. i. 2 On his brest a bloodie Crosse he bore. 1611Bible 1 Sam. xvi. 16 A cunning player on an harpe. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 489 On Shrubs they browze. 1821Keats Isabella xxxvi, Isabella on its music hung. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiii. III. 361 With eight wounds on his body. 1888W. Williams Princ. Med. (ed. 5) 577 A brewer's yard dog, always on the chain. 1895Bookman Oct. 12/1 A small volume..printed on one side only.
3. In proximity to; close to, beside, near, by, at; on the bank of (a river or lake), on the coast of (the sea).
c1122O.E. Chron. an. 1009 (MS. E) Hi..namon him winter settl on Temesan. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 9 Bethfage..on þe fot of þe dune þe men clepen munt oliuete. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cccxxxii. 519 The castell of Geron one the see. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 15 Paslay..is situat..onn the Riuer Carronn. a1715Burnet Own Time (1823) I. 74 They came up marching on the head of their parishes. 1748Anson's Voy. iii. viii. 379 Mr. Anson over-reached the galeon, and lay on her bow. 1816J. Wilson City of Plague i. i. 399 There is a dwelling on the lone sea-shore. 1830H. Angelo Reminisc. I. 229 His residence, St. George's-row, on the Uxbridge Road. 1832Ld. Malmesbury in Mem. Ex-Minister (1884) I. 50 Detained long at the Douane on the Italian frontier. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xii. III. 229 Kirke and his squadron were on the coast of Ulster. Mod. Burton-on-Trent, Clacton-on-Sea.
4. Expressing position with reference to a place or thing: esp. with side, hand, bow (of a ship), and words of particular direction implying ‘side’, as front, back, rear; north, south, east, west, etc. (In OE. these took the accus. = ‘looking unto or towards’ the left, the north, etc.)
Hence in many fig. and transf. uses of hand, part, side, behalf, and in such phrases as on the contrary, the defensive, etc.; see these ns. and adjs.
c893K. ælfred Oros. i. i. §2 Þonne on ðæm norþdæle, þæt is, Asia on þaswiþran healfe. a1000Ags. Ps. (Th.) xliv. 11 Þær stent cwen þe on þa swyðran hand. c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxvii. 38 An on þa swiðran healfe and oðer on þa wynstran. 1122–31O.E. Chron. an. 1122 Hi sæᵹon on norð east fir mycel & brad. a1300Cursor M. 13038 On oþer side was hir ful wa. 13..Guy Warw. 218 (MS. A.) Gij..on hir fader half he hir grett. 1390Gower Conf. II. 183 God bad the rede See divide, Which stod upriht on either side. 1411Rolls of Parlt. III. 650/1 This is the ordenance..made between William Lord the Roos on that oon partie and Robert Tirwhit..on that other partie. 1558Queen Elizabeth in Strype Ann. Ref. (1824) I. App. i. 389 Not doubting on their part, but they will observe the duty. 1650Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. (ed. 2) 49 The Cape de las Agullas hath sea on both sides near it. 1671H. M. tr. Erasm. Colloq. 7, I am glad on your behalf. 1747Mem. Nutrebian Crt. I. 221 It was agreed on all hands. 1748Anson's Voy. i. v. 49 The Indians, lying on the back of the Portuguese settlements. 1838Thirlwall Greece (1846) III. xxiv. 338 Thucydides..does not venture to state the numbers on either side. 1883Law Times Rep. XLIX. 332 Bearing about three or four points on the starboard bow of the Clan Sinclair.
** Of position within [OE. on for in].
†5. Within the limits or bounds of: = in prep. 1, 9. Obs.
In OE. (W.Sax.) and early ME. (southern): see above.
c900tr. Bæda's Hist. Pref. ii, Se wæs biscop on Cantwara byriᵹ. Ibid., Oððe on ðysse bec, oððe on oðre. c1000ælfric Gen. xxxvii. 13 Ðine gebroðru healdaþ scep on Sichima. c1000Ags. Ps. lxviii. 12 Ða him sæton sundor on portum. c1175Lamb. Hom. 35 Ic walde..sitten on forste and on snawe up et minne chinne. c1205Lay. 24587 Þe stiward..hæxt cniht on londe. c1260K. Horn 653 (MS. C.) Heo sat on þe sunne. c1375Cursor M. 14195 (Fairf.) To ga on liȝt of day. [c1485Digby Myst. (1882) iv. 530 Chase he not the on his xij to bee?]
*** Of time, or action implying time.
(In OE. with dat. or accus.)
6. a. Indicating the day of an occurrence, treated as a unit of time; so with night, morning, afternoon, a defined date, a time, the eve, morrow, occasion of. on the instant, instantly. Also (dial. and U.S.) used redundantly in on tomorrow, on yesterday, etc.
c893K. ælfred Oros. ii. viii. §2 Þa on ðæm ilcan dæᵹe..fuhton Gallie on þa burᵹ. a900Laws of ælfred Introd. §3 Wyrceað eow syx daᵹas, and on þam siofoðan restað eow. Forþam [Drihten] hine ᵹereste on þone seofoðan dæᵹ. c1000ælfric Hom. I...Hit ᵹelamp on sumne sæl. 1122–31O.E. Chron. an. 1122 On þet dæi xi k' Apr'. Ibid., Þet wæs on þæs dæies xiiio k' Nouemb'. 1137–40Ibid. an. 1137 Þe Iudeus..on langfridæi him on rode hengen. c1250Gen. & Ex. 3325 On morgen fel hem a dew a-gein. a1300Cursor M. 17670 Yee sperd me soth on a fridai. c1420Anturs of Arth. 6 (Thornton MS.) One a daye þay þam dighte to þe depe dellis. c1450Merlin 231 On an euen com a spie. 1542Udall Erasm. Apoph. 131 b, Anaximenes was, on a tyme, in makyng an oracion. 1556Chron. Gr. Friars (1852) 14 Thys yere one sent Martyns day. 1670Lady M. Bertie in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 22 On Tuestay wee are to goe see the second part of it. 1764–7Lyttelton Henry II (1771) I. 17 On the eve of St. Matthew. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. iii, The day..on which we were to disperse. 1795Jemima I. 215 Rosina..taking Jemima aside on the instant. 1829Virginia Lit. Museum 30 Dec. 459/2 On. As ‘on tomorrow’; a mere expletive. Common. 1848Southern Lit. Messenger XIV. 636/2 ‘On’ yesterday, (another Southern emendation of the Queen's English, which is funny enough,) I was so unfortunate [etc.]. 1852N.Y. Tribune 9 Jan. 6/1 It was the intention to send in the Treasury Report..on yesterday. 1876Gladstone Glean. (1879) II. 298 Croker assailed, and assailed on the instant, some of Macaulay's celebrated speeches on Reform. 1880W. H. Patterson Gloss. Words Antrim & Down 74 On..is sometimes prefixed to the words to-morrow and yesterday, thus—‘I'll do it on to-morrow.’ 1885Law Times LXXX. 112/2 On the 29th Jan. 1884 [he] absconded, and on the following day the firm suspended payment. 1899Pall Mall Mag. Aug. 579 On-a-day he gravely complained in open court that [etc.]. a1902Mod. Presented to A. B. on the occasion of his wedding. 1914Dialect Notes IV. 160 On yesterday; on last week. 1922H. C. Lodge in Congress. Rec. 27 Dec. 942, I took occasion to ask the Secretary of State on yesterday. 1922Joyce Ulysses 645 Lionel's air in Martha, M'appari, which..he heard, or overheard, to be more accurate, on yesterday. 1944H. W. Horwill Dict. Mod. Amer. Usage (ed. 2) 214/2 The expression on yesterday is an example of the Am. use of on where it would be considered superfluous in Eng. 1977Irish Press 29 Sept. 2/1 (Advt.), Removal of remains to St. Bridget's Church, Kilcurry on today (Thursday) at 6.30 o'clock.
†b. Formerly used of any time or period, where current usage has in, at, during, by. (Also before the advb. genitives dayes, nightes, which were perh. then taken for plurals.) Obs.
c893K. ælfred Oros. i. i. 17 On huntoðe on wintra & on sumera on fiscaþe. Ibid. iii. iii. §2 On þæm ilcan ᵹeare tohlad seo eorþe. c1000ælfric Deut. x. 1 On þære tide Drihten cwæþ to me. Ibid. xxviii. 29 Ðæt þu grapie on midne dæᵹ. 1127–31O.E. Chron. an. 1127 Soðieste men heom kepten on nihtes. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 31 God sent him a tokenyng on nyght als he slepe. 1375Barbour Bruce vii. 506 And fra Carlele on nychts ryd; And in cowert on dayis byd. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 2, I slepe þere-inne on niȝtes. a1425Cursor M. 12245 (Trin.) Say I neuer suche on my lyue. 1442T. Beckington Corr. (Rolls) II. 189 On the meane tyme. 1450–1530Myrr. our Ladye 12 Also Daniel..worshyped god thryes on the day knelynge. 1627W. Sclater Exp. 2 Thess. (1629) 137 Rome was not all built on a day. 1650Fuller Pisgah iii. Zor. Temple vii. §6 It never rained on the day-time. 1654R. Codrington tr. Iustine i. 19 On the break of day. 1708Swift Wks. (1841) II. 256 Rascals that walk the streets on nights. 1779Forrest Voy. N. Guinea 182 The tides rise about six inches higher on the full moon than on the change.
†c. Formerly also: Within the space of; = in prep. 21. Obs.
c893K. ælfred Oros. Contents v. ii, Hu on anum ᵹeare wurdon þa twa byrᵹ toworpena. c897― Gregory's Past. xliii. 312 Ic fæste tuwa on wucan. c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. xxvii. 40 On þrim daᵹum hyt eft ᵹetimbrað. c1205Lay. 8059 And þas dæies æn þreom wiken Wenden to Lundene. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xiii. 57 Men may wende to Damasc on three days. 1693Apol. Clergy Scot. 62 They cite the Archbishop of St. Andrews on twenty four hours to compear before them.
d. = Close upon, touching upon. Also, in on time = exactly at the (right or prescribed) time: see also time n. 47.
1843Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 235 It is now just on post-time. 1890Boldrewood Miner's Right (1899) 181/2 Anxiety about being ‘on time’ for the mid-day stage. 1892Pall Mall G. 17 Feb. 3/3 The following are a few arrivals at Preston..September 25..2 minutes early. December 12..On time.
7. Followed by a noun of action, etc., expressing the occasion of what is stated.
e.g. on reaching.. = when I (he, &c.) reached..; on my return = when I returned; on hearing this = when (and because) I heard this, I changed my plans.
1593Shakes. Lucr. 186 He doth debate What following sorrow may on this arise. 1713Berkeley Hylas & Phil. i. Wks. 1871 I. 268 On second thoughts, I do not think it so evident. 1748Anson's Voy. i. x. 101 A disposition to be seized with the most dreadful terrors on the slightest accident. 1761–2Hume Hist. Eng. (1806) V. lxix. 186 He had ten thousand ‘brisk boys’..who on a motion of his finger, were ready to fly to arms. 1793Smeaton Edystone L. §68 Which would on the first blush induce one to suppose there was something culpable in this man. 1812Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 178 On our arrival here. 1876Gladstone Glean. (1879) II. 333 It attracted little notice on its appearance. 1891Law Times XCII. 94/1 Milk which on analysis proved to be deficient in fatty matter.
**** Of order, arrangement, manner, state.
†8. Indicating physical arrangement or grouping: = in (a row, a heap, pieces). Obs. or arch.
a1000–1611 [see heap n. 5 c]. a1400Morte Arth. 238 Alle þe riche on rawe, Romaynes and oþer. 1430–40Lydg. Bochas i. xiii. (1554) 25 Kepe them from tonges that been on tweine. c1440Promp. Parv. 364/1 On a thronge, or to-gedur..Gregatim. 1575Brieff Disc. Troub. Franckford 98 And others..came in suddenlie on a troupe together in to the churche. 1620Frier Rush 8 They came all on a cluster. 1625Purchas Pilgrims II. 1133 There lyeth nine little Ilands on a row. 1662in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. IV. 280, I saw the monks kneeling on a row..before the altar. 1818G. S. Faber Horæ Mosaicæ I. 189 Its waters stood on heaps to the right hand and to the left.
9. a. Indicating manner: = in. Obs. exc. in archaic phrases, as on this wise. (In OE. with the accus. Cf. Ger. auf diese weise.) Here also belong such modern phrases as on the cheap, on the sly, on the square: see cheap, etc.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxxix. 10 We onᵹitaþ hwilum mon on oðre wisan, on oðre hine God onᵹit. c1000ælfric Exod. xii. 5 On þa ylcan wisan nymað ticcenu. c1175Lamb. Hom. 77 Þe fader is ine þe sune on þre wise. 1258Procl. Hen. III 6 Beon ilet oþer iwersed on onie wise. Ibid. 11 Al on þo ilche worden. a1366Chaucer Rom. Rose 984 These arowis..Were alle fyve on oon maneere. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. I. 379 On two maner is Goddis word herd. 1483Cath. Angl. 259/2 On Alle wyse, omnimodo. 1526Tindale Matt. i. 18 The byrthe off Christe was on thys wyse. a1557Diurn. Occurr. (Bannatyne Club) 28 Bot the lordis on na wayiss wald not aggree. 1697J. Sergeant Solid Philos. 440 To begin his search after Truth on this preposterous manner. 1864G. W. Dasent Jest & Earnest (1873) II. 346 Ulf's words were on this wise.
†b. Indicating language: = in 12 c. Obs.
(In OE., as in the other Teutonic langs., with accus.)
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. Pref. 7 Nemned on Læden Pastoralis, and on Englisc Hierdeboc. c1205Lay. 33 An oþer he nom on Latin Þe makede seinte Albin. c1320Cast. Love 35 On Englisch I wyl my reson shewe. 1401Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 91 Heresie, that is Grw, is divisioun on Latyn.
10. a. Of state, condition, action: (a) with a n., as on fire, on live, on sleep, on wait, on the tap; (b) with noun of action, as on loan, on sale, on the look-out, on the move, on the run, on the wane, on the watch; (c) formerly with vbl. n., as on singing, on building. (See also 19.)
In (b) on is still normal; of those in (a) most have now in, (in life, in wait), some retain on, many have reduced it to a, now written in comb. (afire, alive, asleep: see 30); (c) is obs. or arch., on having been first reduced to a-, and then omitted in mod. Standard Eng., whereby the vbl. n. comes to function as a pres. pple. (the ark was on building, was a-building, was building). See a prep. 11–13; -ing1, -ing2.
c893[see 6 b]. a950Cod. Exon. vii. 37 (E.E.T.S.) 294 Sum bið on huntoþe. 971Blickl. Hom. 3 Þæt heo cende on sare & on unrotnesse þa hire bearn. c1200Ormin 142 Þe follc..stod þatt while onn heore bene. a1300Cursor M. 15649 All on slepe he fand þam fast. c1325Body & Soul 59 in Map's Poems 347 The world shal al o fure ben. c1375XI Pains of Hell 281 in O.E. Misc. 219 When I was on þerst hongyng on þe rode. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 325 While þe masse is on syngynge. Ibid. 415 While þe gospel was on redynge. c1435Torr. Portugal 773 Whyle Torrent an huntyng wase. 1451Paston Lett. I. 195, I lay on wayte up on hym. 1470–85Malory Arthur iii. iii, As good a man as ony is on lyue. 1513Douglas æneis v. xiii. 33 Venus, all on flocht, Amyd her breist reuoluyng mony a thocht. 1601Holland Pliny I. 84 When the Firth is frozen and all on yce. 1629Maxwell tr. Herodian (1635) 400 The doores (which were all on a flame). 1711Steele Spect. No. 38 ⁋1 You might see his Imagination on the Stretch. 1749Fielding Tom Jones i. ii, Her prudence was as much on the guard, as if she had all the snares to apprehend. 1808E. Sleath Bristol Heiress IV. 31 Glenn Hall, which was then advertised, and on sale. 1811W. R. Spencer Poems 211 Folly herself has long been on the wane. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 608 Some men of the Horse Guards, who were on watch, heard the report. 1855Ibid. xvii. IV. 92 But fortune was already on the turn. 1876Rogers Pol. Econ. ix. (ed. 3) 89 Workmen on strike. 1886Illustr. Lond. News 9 Jan. 31/1 Better a dinner of herbs..than eight courses, eaten on our best behaviour.
b. Engaged in, occupied with.
1768G. White Selborne xx, As you have been so lately on the study of reptiles.
c. on it: (a) U.S. slang, ready for, or skilled in, something; (b) dial., preceded by an adverb or adjective: in a particular condition or situation, usu. one that is distressing.
1865Harper's Mag. May 694/1 She's tolerable peert—the old 'oman is. Oh, she's on it, you bet. 1866‘Mark Twain’ in Daily Union (Sacramento) 22 May 3/4 In San Francisco sometimes, if you offend a man, he proposes to take his coat off, and inquires, ‘Are you on it?’ 1880A. A. Hayes New Colorado (1881) v. 77 You bet he could cook. He was just on it. 1886R. E. G. Cole Gloss. Words S.-W. Lincs. 103 Such phrases as ‘Sorely on it’, ‘Sadly on it’, for Sorely off, Sadly off; ‘Two or three days ago I was strangely on it.’ 1889E. Peacock Gloss. Words Manley & Corringham, Lincolnshire (ed. 2) 886 He's sorely on it yit, 'cause his wife's runn'd awaay fra him. 1890Barrère & Leland Dict. Slang II. 102/1 On it (American). This eccentric expression meant originally that a man was decidedly engaged in anything. It implied determination. ‘I'm on it,’ I understand it. 1946F. Sargeson That Summer 96 He looked pretty crook on it.
***** Indicating non-material basis, ground, or footing, (fig. extension of 1).
11. a. Indicating the ground, basis, or reason of action, opinion, etc.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xi. §1 Buton he..mæᵹe ᵹebeacnian þæt he irne on his willan. c1205Lay. 3336 Ah late we hine welden His folc on his willen. c1380Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 15 Ȝif men avysiden hem on þis resoun. 1578Whetstone Promos & Cass. ii. v, The doome was geven on cause, and not on spyte. 1594First Pt. Contention (1843) 35, I do arrest thee on high treason here. 1608Sir T. Bodleigh Let. to Bacon in Ussher's Lett. (1686) App. 21 They turned back on their own accord. a1633Austin Medit. (1635) 164, I thinke that he [St. Thomas] was absent on negligence. 1662Stillingfl. Orig. Sacr. iii. i. §7 Those principles on which they deny a Deity. 1680Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) I. 41 Being wounded by his fellows on mistake. 1757E. Griffith Lett. Henry & Frances (1767) I. 38, I acted not on so poor a motive. 1806–7J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) vi. iii, Starting for a long ride on a dinner engagement. 1838Thirlwall Greece IV. xxxi. 174 The capitulation on which Athens surrendered. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiii. III. 267 He..was convicted on evidence which would not have satisfied any impartial tribunal. 1885Times (weekly ed.) 8 May 15/4 A careful opinion on full knowledge. 1891Law Times XCI. 21/2 We learn on good authority that arbitration has become too well established.
b. In many phrases; e.g. on account (of), on design, on intent, on pretence, on purpose; on terms; on an (or the) average, on the whole; for which see the ns. † on less than: see unless.
12. Indicating risk, pain, or penalty; on peril of.
c1386Chaucer Knt.'s T. 867 Arcite That fro thy lond is banysshed on his heed. 1389in Eng. Gilds (1870) 10 On þe peyne of xl.d. to paie to þe box. 14..Sir Beues 107/2031 (MS. M) The patriarke on my lyfe, Charged me, neuer to take wyfe. 1588Shakes. L.L.L. i. i. 124 On paine of loosing her tongue. 1667Milton P.L. xii. 398 Obedience to the Law of God, impos'd On penaltie of death. 1667Dryden Ind. Emperor iv. i, On thy life secure the Prison Gate. 1755F. Brooke Old Maid No. 3 (1764) 16 [The father] charged him on his blessing to abandon all studies of that kind. 1858O. W. Holmes Aut. Breakf.-t. viii. 71 Many minds must change their key now and then, on penalty of getting out of tune or losing their voices.
13. Indicating that which forms the basis of income, taxation, borrowing, betting, profit, or loss.
1697W. Dampier Voy. I. 376 We must consequently have gain'd something insensibly on the length of the particular days, but have lost on the..number. 1712Addison Spect. No. 445 ⁋5 The Tax on Paper was given for the Support of the Government. 1745Col. Rec. Pennsylv. V. 34 For raising of money on the Inhabitants. 1753Hanway Trav. (1762) II. vii. iii. 178 The king borrowed considerable sums on his jewels. 1764App. to Chron. in Ann. Reg. 129/1 Odds at starting—Six to four on Leader. 1809Byron Bards & Rev. 675 Done!—a thousand on the..trick. 1883L'pool Courier 25 Sept. 4/5 The largest procurable dividends on the outlay of capital. 1883Sir E. E. Kay in Law Times Rep. XLIX. 77/2 Any charge, or lien, or equity on this particular fund. 1885Law Times LXXX. 131/2 The interest on the debentures. 1891Law Rep. Weekly Notes 80/1 Shewing a loss on his last year's business. a1902Mod. The margin of profit on the sales.
II. Of motion or direction towards a position.
14. a. To or towards the position expressed by senses 1, 2; on to.
So in reference to non-physical things treated as having physical extension, or to motion that is merely ideal.
c900tr. Bæda's Hist. i. vii. (1890) 38 Astah se..andettere..on þa dune upp. Ibid. iii. vii. [ix.] 178 On his hors hleop. c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. v. 1 He astah on þone munt. c1122O.E. Chron. an. 1101 Se cyng..scipa ut on sæ sende. c1205Lay. 1228 Heo..hire hond On his heued leide. Ibid. 13099 He nom ane cape..On þene munec he heo dude. a1300Cursor M. 10393 Iesu crist was tan, And don on rode. 1382Wyclif Matt. v. 45 That..reyneth on iust men and vniuste. c1400Destr. Troy 9133 Pure watur pouret vn polishet yeron. 1576Gascoigne Philomene (Arb.) 97 They now are come on lande. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. ii. 18 ‘Curse on that Cross’, (quoth then the Sarazin). 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 722 A Plague did on the dumb Creation rise. Ibid. 769 Ye Gods..turn that Impious Errour on our Foes! 1697W. Dampier Voy. I. 524 A sort of a distemper that stole insensibly on them. 1807Crabbe Par. Reg. i. 119–20 His shoes of swiftness on his feet he placed; His coat of darkness on his loins he braced. 1820Keats St. Agnes xxxi, These delicates he heaped..On golden dishes. 1884W. C. Smith Kildrostan 63 If in such a vacant hour He shall happen on a maiden. 1896Law Times C. 488/1 The vestry served a notice on the respondent, calling upon him to repair the drain. 1897Ouida Massarenes xxvi, He has never left his card on you. Mod. He threw the coins on the table. They fixed placards on the walls.
b. to lay hold on, seize on: see these vbs.
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. iv. 40 Þæt hira nan ne durre gripan swæ orsorᵹlice on þæt rice. 1399Langl. Rich. Redeles iii. 49 Anoþer proud partriche..sesith on hir sete. 1551Robinson tr. More's Utop. ii. ix. (1895) 270 They layde holde on hym. 1604Shakes. Oth. i. iii. 55 Nor doth the generall care Take hold on me. 1796Hist. in Ann. Reg. 97/2 They had seized on the citadel. 1870Anderson Missions Amer. Bd. II. ix. 68 The natives..laid hold on the sailors.
c. Of the incidence of a blow or the like.
c893K. ælfred Oros. iv. i. §5 He hiene on þone nafelan ofstang. Ibid. v. xv. §3 He oft unwitende sloᵹ mid his heafde on þone waᵹ. 13..Cursor M. 21402 (Gött.) Constantine..feld fast on þat haþen lede. 1526Tindale Acts xii. 7 And he smote Peter on the syde. a1548Hall Chron., Hen V, 33 He strake the chiefe Iustice with his fiste on the face. 1712Addison Spect. No. 317 ⁋35 Gave Ralph a box on the Ear. Mod. A blow on the head.
d. In such phrases as heaps on heaps, company on company, the literal sense passes into that of accumulative addition, or repetition.
a1611Beaum. & Fl. Maid's Trag. v. ii, Your curst court and you..With your temptations on temptations, made me give up mine honour. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 995 With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout, Confusion worse confounded. 1726–46Thomson Winter 905 Snows swell on snows amazing to the Sky. 1839Thackeray Fatal Boots viii, I have had ill-luck on ill-luck. 1855Kingsley Plays & Puritans 130 What Spaniard on Spaniard had been saying for fifty years.
e. Of continued motion: on one's way, on a journey, expedition, voyage, trip; also on an errand, on a message. See these ns., and cf. away.
15. Into contact or collision with, esp. in the way of attack; against, towards.
c893K. ælfred Oros. ii. v. §2 æfter þæm he wonn on Sciþþie. c900tr. Bæda's Hist. ii. viii. [ix.] (1890) 124 Sona þæs þe he on heo feaht. 1340–70Alisaunder 1204 When Philip had with his folke faren on Greece. 1375Barbour Bruce i. 140 On saracenys warrayand. Ibid. ii. 384 On thaim! On thaim! thai feble fast! 1568Grafton Chron. II. 294 That day he never tooke prisoner, but alwayes fought and went on his enemies. 1697Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 140 He bears his Rider headlong on the Foe. 1796Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813) 257 That the whole may arrive on the enemy at the same time. 1849S. Dobell Roman iii. (ed. 2) 38 He calls his blood-hounds round his gory hands, And cheers them on the prey. 1883Standard 8 May 3/7 His..bowling seldom seemed to be on the wicket. 1894Baring-Gould Kitty Alone II. 170 If he drew his knife on her and attacked her.
16. a. Of aspect or direction towards; as to smile on, turn one's back on.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxxviii. §5 Hi ealle lociaþ mid bæm eaᵹum on þas eorðlican ðincg. a1000Cædmon's Daniel 731 On þæt wundor seon. a1440Sir Eglam. 1225 The knyght answeryd, and on hym logh. 1592Greene Philomela (1881) 152 He spake with his eies on Philomelas face. 1726–46Thomson Winter 910 Horrid o'er the surge Alps frown on Alps. 1809W. Irving Knickerb. vii. xii. (1849) 442 He turned his back on its walls. 1844Macaulay Ess., Earl Chatham (1887) 815 The enemies..stood for a time glaring on each other. 1851D. Jerrold St. Giles xxxii. 326 That melancholy, care-worn face, that..would always smile on her. 1864Tennyson En. Ard. 727 For Philip's dwelling fronted on the street.
b. ellipt. Precisely in the direction of, directed towards.
1888Rider Haggard in Harper's Mag. July 207 Feeling that I was on him, I pulled, and..I saw the man throw up his arms.
†17.
a. = into. (Cf. in prep. 31.) Obs.
c893K. ælfred Oros. i. i. §7 Þa flowað buta suþ on þone Readan Sæ. c897― Gregory's Past. 2 An ærendᵹewrit of Lædene on Englisc areccan. c900tr. Bæda's Hist. iv. xxx[i]. (1890) 374 Hie woldon his ban on niwe cyste ᵹedon. 971Blickl. Hom. 27 Þætte Hælend wære læded on westen. c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. ix. 6 Aris..and gang on þin hus. 1387E.E. Wills (1882) 2 Also y be-quethe iij li. to bring me on erthe.
†b. on pieces, etc. = into (in) pieces. (Cf. in 30 b.)
c893K. ælfred Oros. i. i. §1 Ure ieldran ealne þisne ymbhwyrft þises middanᵹeardes..on þreo todældon. c1200Ormin 565 And eȝȝþerr hirrd..Todæledd wass..Onn hirdess rihht sextene. c1350Will. Palerne 3410 Mani a spere spacli on peces were to-broke. 1415E.E. Wills (1882) 23 Y wolle hit be parted on tweyne. 1426Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 4293 Whan the pot ys broke On pecys smale. c1450Douce MS. 55 (Bodleian) lf. 23 Take mary and dates, kutt on too or on thre.
18. Unto, to (a person): in reference to descent or marriage. (The latter in Sc.)
1535Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 710 Richt laith he wes to wed hir on ane lord Into Ingland. a1578Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 125 The king, efter he had..ressawit this gentillwoman..marieit hir on his brother. 1631Gouge God's Arrows iii. §93. 353 The Crowne and Kingdome by just..title descended on her. 1894Crockett Raiders 280 She's marriet on saft Sammle Tamson.
19. Into, unto, to (some action, course, or condition); formerly esp. with vbl. n., as to go on fishing = a-fishing: cf. 10.
c1000Ags. Gosp. John xxi. 3 Ic wylle gan on fixað. c1290St. Kenelm 148 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 349 Þat þis child scholde wende An hontingue. c1350Will. Palerne 2092 Þai..dede hem on gate, And souȝte him. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 4406 And sone on slepe þai fell. 1470–85Malory Arthur ii. i, A damoisel the whiche was sente on message. c1530Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. 147 His woundes braste out agayne on bledyng. 1539Bible (Great) Acts xiii. 36 Dauid (after he had in hys tyme fulfylled the wyll of God) fell on slepe. 1622Bacon Hen. VII 74 That might..set the Plough on going. 1633Laud Wks. (1857) VI. 321, I presume you will set him on work. 1635J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Banish'd Virg. 68 He was that day rode forth on hunting. 1726Leoni Alberti's Archit. II. 10/1 Very hard to stop when once it is set on going. 1828Macaulay Ess., Hallam's Const. Hist. (1887) 88 The fanaticism of Cromwell never urged him on impracticable undertakings. 1885Law Times Rep. LIII. 467/2 Facts which ought to have put him on inquiry.
20. a. Indicating the person or thing to which action, feeling, etc. is directed, or that is affected by it. In the const. of many verbs and phrases.
c1290Becket 501 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 121 On seint Thomas heo criden faste. a1300Cursor M. 22474 Lauerd ha merci on all nu. c1386Chaucer Prol. 300 Al þat he myghte of his freendes hente On bookes and his lernynge he it spente. c1435Torr. Portugal 1854 How on the dede hedys they did shoute. 1590Spenser F.Q. ii. i. 52 On them she workes her will to uses bad. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. iv. ii. §2 The first on whom this cruel Law was hanselled, was William Sautre. 1657–83Evelyn Hist. Relig. (1850) I. 291 Being a thing material, it should operate on immaterials. 1796State Papers in Ann. Reg. 168/2 [He] endeavoured to recriminate on us. 1815W. H. Ireland Scribbleomania 201 She has claims on the consideration of the country. 1838Thirlwall Greece IV. xxx. 145 The title of Admiral was conferred on Aracus. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 539 The effect of these reflections on his mind had been pernicious. 1883Sir W. B. Brett in Law Times Rep. (1884) L. 193/2 The decision..which is binding on us. 1885Law Times LXXIX. 38/1 The magistrate may be necessary as a check on the doctor. 1885Manch. Exam. 16 May 6/1 The extremely cold nights..tell very severely on the elderly members of the House.
b. Indicating the object of desire and the like. In the construction of eager, keen, mad († amorous, enamoured, fond), bent, determined, set, gone, etc. Also ellipt. = bent on, set on.
a1310in Wright Lyric P. xi. 38 A tortle that min herte is on. c1430Lydg. Reas. & Sens. 113/4286 To be enamowred on a goot. 1493Festivall (W. de W. 1515) 68 b, Suche thynges as mannes herte is moost on. 1623Gouge Serm. God's Provid. §10 Their mind was so on their worke. 1656Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. ii. xxxvi. (1674) 189 You..having unwisely been enamoured on some one person. 1890L. D'Oyle Notches 170 Woddell was not much on beer.
c. Indicating the bank, banker, or person to whom a cheque or draft is directed, and by whom it is payable; in to draw on, a cheque, etc. (drawn) on.
1671–[see draw v. 65, draught n. 35 b]. 1824Byron Juan xv. viii, A draft on Ransom. 1839Thackeray Fatal Boots x, Here..is a cheque on Child's. 1849Marryat Valerie ix, Lionel received a cheque on the bank. 1866Crump Banking vii. 144 The demand for bills on London at Liverpool would exceed the supply.
d. Of a joke, laugh, etc.: against or at the expense of (someone).
1866Harper's Mag. July 271/2 There may be a joke about it; but if there is, it is on the Colonel, for he told me so. 1901Munsey's Mag. XXV. 711/2 ‘It was Lanse—Lanse all the time’ he exploded. ‘Oh, wasn't that one on me!’ 1906Nation (N.Y.) 6 Dec. 478 The people rejoiced that the laugh was on those whom they consider their natural enemies. 1933[see B.O. s.v. B. III]. 1936N. Coward To-night at 8.30 27 The joke is on us... We've never even been lovers. 1939L. M. Montgomery Anne of Ingleside vi. 33 The joke is on us... And a nice laugh he will have on me. 1967Listener 11 May 634/1 The trouble is we enjoy a good laugh, especially if the joke's on us. 1977P. Harcourt At High Risk vi. 196 The joke was on me, and it left a sour taste.
e. Indicating a person, etc., who is to pay the bill, esp. for a treat of any kind. colloq.
1871Republican Rev. (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 29 July 2/4 After the first round they said it was ‘on me’. 1889, etc. [see house n.1 2 c]. 1902C. J. C. Hyne Mr. Horrocks, Purser 78 And now come and have a bit of cheap lunch. We'll consider we've tossed for it, and it's on me. 1919‘I. Hay’ Last Million vii. 85 ‘This is on us,’ Al Thompson hastened to add. 1938L. MacNeice Earth Compels 22 Five minutes spent at a bar Watching the fish coming in, as you parry and shrug This is on me or this is on me. 1973‘ P. Reid’ Harris in Wonderland iii. 26 Arbuthnot wanted to drink... I explained my financial predicament but he waved it aside. ‘On me, man.’
f. To the disadvantage or detriment of (a person); so as to affect or disturb. colloq.
1880W. H. Patterson Gloss. Words Antrim & Down 74 ‘Don't break it on me,’ i.e. don't break that thing of mine. 1892E. Lawless Grania I. ii. iv. 184 It was the devil's own abuse he got from his wife..for letting her fine spring chickens be drowned on her, which she had been months upon months of rearing. 1907, etc. [see die v.1 1 e]. 1907J. M. Synge Tinker's Wedding ii. 26 There she is waking up on us, and I thinking we'd have the job done before she'd know of it at all. 1946K. Tennant Lost Haven (1947) vii. 103, I never knew such a man for pickles―he must have eaten a bottle on me just over tea and breakfast. 1955R. P. Hobson Nothing too Good for Cowboy vii. 63 My lead cows bunched up on me and refused to face the storm. 1963,1966[see go v. 44 a]. 1971M. Smith Gypsy in Amber (1975) ii. 17 You're turning into a dilettante on me. 1974M. Butterworth Man in Sopwith Camel iii. 34 He's passed out on me... Had some kind of seizure.
21. a. Indicating a person or thing to which hostile action is directed: against; esp. in to complain on, inform on, lie on, tell on, ‘peach’ on; also an attack, assault, etc., on.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 144 It may nouȝt be,..or matheu on god lyeth. c1400Mandeville (Roxb.) xv. 67 Þai lye falsly on Mary and hir son. 1481Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 29 He made hym redy for to complayne on reynart the foxe. 1539Bible (Great) Phil. ii. 15 That ye may be soch as no man can complayne on. 1604Shakes. Oth. v. ii. 146 Ay, 'twas he that told me on her first. 1690Locke Govt. ii. xix. §231 Attempting by force on the properties of any people. 1830Macaulay Ess., Moore's Byron (1887) 155 This degraded people had risen on their oppressors. 1849― Hist. Eng. vi. II. 113 Any attack on the civil liberties of his people. 1889[see inform v. 7 b]. 1895Crockett Sweetheart Trav. 14, I will tell my father on you. Mod. Sc. I'll no tell on ye.
b. to have a down on: see down n.3 5; to have nothing (or something) on (a person): see have v. 14 h.
22. a. In regard to, in reference to, with respect to, as to.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxxi. §1 (1864) 110 Hwæt godes maᵹan we secgan on þa flæsclican unþeawas. 1456Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 69 And sa was sene on thame, for thair jurisdictioun began with force and crueltee. 1470–85Malory Arthur vi. i, Some there were that..passed alle their felawes in prowesse and noble dedes and that was wel preued..on syre launcelot du lake. 1477Paston Lett. III. 211 Elles it wol do you harm on your hors. 1649J. Moyley in 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. ii. 47 There sate on him three or four judges. 1706Act 6 Anne, c. 11 Art. xix, No writer to the signet [shall] be..admitted a lord of the session unless he undergo a private and publick tryal on the civil law. 1787Nelson 13 May in Nicolas Disp. (1845) I. 236 To order a Court-Martial to be held on him. 1812Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 176, I do not condole with you on your release. 1838T. Thomson Chem. Org. Bodies 488 note, This statement does not agree with my experience on the subject. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 275 He never attended the meetings of his colleagues on foreign affairs. 1885Manch. Exam. 23 May 5/1 The appellants had failed on the main question.
b. Expressing the object to which mental activity is directed; after such verbs as think, consider, remember, dream (now usually of); meditate, reflect, etc. Also after derived ns. as thought, meditation, reflection. See these words.
c1000Ags. Ps. (Th.) cxvii. 8 God ys on Dryhten ᵹeorne to þenceanne. c1420Anturs of Arthure 192 Thynke hertly on this. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 8090 On his kirke was all his thoght. c1470Henry Wallace i. 15 Ȝhit we suld thynk one our bears befor. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xc. 60 And on the end hes no rememberance. 1590Greene Never too late, M.'s Madr., When I at last considered on my sins. 1692Locke Educ. §147 This being almost that alone, which is thought on, when People talk of Education. 1754R. O. Cambridge Intruder 12 'Twas a plan I never dreamt on. 1816J. Wilson City of Plague ii. ii, Thy anxious heart will never learn To think more on thyself and less on others. 1838Thirlwall Greece II. 265 The sleepless nights in which he meditated on the trophies of Miltiades. Mod. Reflect on the natural results of such conduct.
c. After speak, write, etc., q.v.; after book, article, essay, lecture, poem, treatise, etc., or an author's name; also ellipt. in titles and the like.
1422E.E. Wills 51, iiij quayres of Doctours on Mathewe. 1605Camden Rem. (1637) 411 On a childe drowned catching of an Apple. 1689Prior Ep. to Fleetwood Shepherd 168 Critics I read on other men, And hypers upon them again. 1699Cotes tr. Dupin's Hist. O. & N. Test. I. i. i. 5 What he says on this Point is as follows. 1785Wilberforce in Life I. 99 Heard Newton on the addiction of the soul to God. 1830Scott (title) Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft. 1831Carlyle Sart. Res. iii. viii, Laplace's Book on the Stars. 1884A. R. Pennington Wiclif ix. 290 A course of lectures on the Epistles of St. Paul. Mod. Coke on Littleton; Mill on Hamilton; Fenn on the Funds.
III. Other senses, obsolete, archaic, or dialectal.
(All these originally belonged to branch I.)
†23. After verbs of winning, gaining, taking (by force): = from. Obs. Here orig. belonged vbs. of wreaking or taking vengeance, avenging, revenging, still construed with on: see these.
c893K. ælfred Oros. iv. vi. §6 Romane ᵹenamon on him lxxxiii scipa. c1000ælfric Num. xxi. 1 Chananeus þa wann wiþ Israela bearn, and siᵹe on him ᵹewann. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 57 Magnus..chaced away Suane, & Danmark on him wan. c1500Melusine 219 Yf they were so bold to take on hym or on hys peuple ony thing. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cccxxxv. 525 Howe the Englysshmen recouered dyuers castelles on the frenchmen in Burdeloys. 1605Shakes. Lear v. iii. 165 But what art thou That hast this Fortune on me? 1671Milton Samson 470 All these boasted Trophies won on me.
†24. Indicating that to which a quality has relation: In respect of; = in prep. 34, of prep. 35.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. i, Boetius..se wæs in boccræftum and on woruldþeawum se rihtwisesta. Ibid. xxxii. §1 Ðeah þu wære eallra manna fæᵹrost on wlite. c900tr. Bæda's Hist. i. Introd. (1890) 26 Hit is weliᵹ ðis ealond on wæstmum and on treowum. a1175Cott. Hom. 223 Se man is ece on ane dele . þat is an þer sawle. c1275Luue Ron 91 in O.E. Misc. 96 He is feir & briht on heowe. c1350Will. Palerne 2634 Sche had a derworþe douȝter..þe fairest on face. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cclxx. 403 He was blynde on y⊇ one eye. 1535Coverdale 2 Sam. iv. 4 A sonne which was lame on his fete. 1703Lond. Gaz. No. 3892/4 Robert Stephens..winks on the left Eye.
†25. Indicating the medium of action. Obs. Now expressed by with.
a1375Joseph Arim. 560 He seiȝ a child strauȝt þer-on, stremynge on blode. a1450Le Morte Arth. 1996 The chambre flore Alle ranne on blode.
26.
†a. In uses now expressed by at (esp. on a price or rate). Obs.
1477Paston Lett. III. 203 He wol not selle hym..under that mony that he sette hym on. 1639Fuller Holy War iii. xiv. (1647) 132 Serviceable men he would purchase on any rate. a1715Burnet Own Time (1823) I. 150 When his matters were on that crisis. 1776G. Semple Building in Water 67 The Bridge must be on right Angles with the Current. 1793Jefferson Writ. (1859) III. 510 All other of our productions are received on various duties. 1794A. M. Bennett Ellen III. 52 Ellen was walking on a slow solemn pace.
b. Used colloq. (chiefly Austral.) in locative senses, where ‘at’ would normally occur in standard use.
1853Bendigo (Victoria) Advertiser 9 Dec. 1/1 We have for many months vainly endeavoured to procure suitable materials for publishing a Newspaper on Bendigo, to be devoted Exclusively to the Mining Interests. 1860Mining Surveyors' Rep. (Mining Dept., Victoria) Aug. 198 This will be one of the richest claims on Ballarat. 1892P. H. Emerson Son of Fens xxv. 248 You grind my old Beccy [sc. scythe]; you're a better hand on it than I am. 1901M. Franklin My Brilliant Career iii. 17 Why, on Bruggabrong the women never had to do no outside work. 1966Baker Austral. Lang. (ed. 2) xvi. 348 A gold-seeker was never at a goldfield, but always on it. 1968Listener 29 Aug. 267/2 The only reason she was on a bus stop at that un-Christian hour is that if she didn't catch that particular bus she would miss the only connection that would get her to the house in time to do a day's work. 1974Publishers Weekly 5 Aug. 8/2 He began to put it all together, writing in the evenings and on weekends.
27. In senses now expressed by of. In on't and the like, common in literary use to c 1750; now dial. or vulgar.
In early times generally an actual difference of idiom, but from end of 16th c. due to confusion of of and on, esp. owing to the reduction of both of these to o'. See of.
1258Procl. Hen. III, 1 Henr' þurȝ godes fultume king on Engleneloande, Lhoauerd on Yrlounde, Duk on Norm' on Aquitaine and eorl on Aniow. c1325Poem times Edw. II (Percy Soc.) xxii, That death that I shall on die. c1420Avow. Arth. xxxviii, O payn on life and on londe. a1440Sir Eglam. 953 Wele recovryd on hys wounde. c1530tr. Erasmus' Serm. Ch. Jesus (1901) 2 So this our sermon may sauer on him whiche is..the worde of the father. 1575Gamm. Gurton i. iii, All th'ours on the daye. 1605Shakes. Macb. iii. i. 131 The perfect Spy o' th' time The moment on't. 1611― Cymb. i. i. 164, I am very glad on't. 1641Ld. J. Digby Sp. in Ho. Comm. 21 Apr. 4 The truth on't is. 1671H. M. tr. Erasm. Colloq. 545 Though I make Lay men on them all. 1709Steele Tatler No. 12 ⁋7 Nay, you are in the Right on't. 1732Berkeley Alciphr. ii. §6 The best on't is the World every day grows wiser. 1766G. Williams in Jesse G. Selwyn & Contemp. (1843) II. 57 Those handles that the ladies make bell-ropes on. 1782E. N. Blower Geo. Bateman I. 87, I know she'll take care on him. 1828Craven Gloss. (ed. 2), On't, of it. [Still widespread in Eng. dialects.] 1829D. Jerrold Black-Eyed Susan (1855) i. vi. 27 We found..three pilots' telescopes. This is one on 'em! 1848Thackeray Van. Fair li. 463 We're three on us—it's no use bolting. 1898J. D. Brayshaw Slum Silhouettes 221 There was 'undreds on 'em, men, women, an' kids, an' most on 'em seemed ter be Total Obstinate Sons o' the Phoenix. 1916‘Taffrail’ Pincher Martin xi. 204 'Ere's another on 'em! 1931M. Allingham Look to Lady xvi. 170 Don't take no notice on 'im... 'E's as right as ever 'e was. 1937― Case of Late Pig xiv. 98, I don't know what he'll think on us—two on 'em instead of one. 1973R. Parkes Guardians ix. 165 No doubt on it, mate. 1974‘S. Woods’ Done to Death 41 Nobody as I knows on... It was nothing, really, to get hold on.
28. In dial., N. Amer., and casual contexts, used where ‘in’ would normally occur in standard use.
1762Boswell London Jrnl. 13 Dec. (1950) 82, I feel a surprising change to the better on myself since I came to London. 1787J. Elphinston Propriety II. ii. 93 Dhe Scotch can see no incongruity in meeting a person on dhe street,..hwaraz dhe Inglish meet a person in dhe street. 1892E. G. Vincent Newfoundland to Cochin China iii. 45 The City Hall in this street, or ‘on’, as the Canadians would say. 1900Times 6 Jan. 14/5 The genuine Dorset native always says, ‘I see'd it on the paper’, or ‘I read it on the paper’. 1924R. Masson Use & Abuse of Eng. (ed. 4) iii. 42, I will likely know a great difference on her. 1938J. Stuart Beyond Dark Hills vi. 139 That took lifting and skill on flipping steel. Ibid. x. 396 They took 14 stitches on the other fellow. 1956A. J. Lerner My Fair Lady (1958) i. viii. 86 Let the time go by, I won't care if I Can be here on the street where you live. 1972Scholarly Publishing III. 181 My work as assistant editor is only a sideline. Since I do it largely on my own time, I avoid extra work and correspondence. 1972Time 17 Apr. 37/2 An agreement..to help finance what is now called the Barsky Unit on the grounds of the Cho Ray Hospital. 1974H. L. Foster Ribbin' iii. 109 Terror is waiting on line at 6:30 in the morning..for the Brooklyn Paramount to open for Alan Freed's rock and roll revue. 1974Melody Maker 4 May 21/1 Hospitalized not long ago with a blood clot on his leg, he entered Beth Israel hospital again last week. 1977Irish Press 29 Sept. 13/1 Michael Keane..is back on the Kerry team for Sunday's All-Ireland Under 21 Football final.
IV.
29. on is used in the construction of many verbs, besides those mentioned under the preceding senses, e.g. depend; attend, wait; follow; believe, rely; feed, live, subsist; also after the direct object, in beget, bestow, confer; lavish, spend, waste; congratulate; plume, pride, value oneself; or as a second construction, e.g. to condole, consult, with a person on something. See these verbs.
30. on was formerly frequent in connexions in which a- is now usual: e.g. on back (= aback), on brede, on broche, on broad, on dreghe, on far, on ferrom, on fresh, on head, on live, on loft, on long, on loud, on low, on light, on new, on part, on round, on room, on side, on stray, on sunder, on thirst, on wide, on wry. These were usually written as two words, but have often been hyphened by modern editors, in imitation of forms in a-. See aback n., abrede, abroach, etc.; also the ns. back, brede, broach, etc.
on hand, on high: see hand 32, high a. 18.
Senses 20 a–f in Dict. become 20 b–g. Add: [I.] [1.] [b.] (b) Said in reference to the level or storey of a building, as on the first floor, etc. (i.e. located at or within; occupying all or part of).
1751Johnson Rambler No. 161 ⁋5 The lodgers on the first floor had stipulated that [etc.]. 1837[see bagatelle n. 2 b]. 1891Hardy Group of Noble Dames i. i. 3 Eastward, one window on the upper floor was open. 1916G. B. Shaw Pygmalion ii. 117 It is a room on the first floor. 1939W. S. Maugham Christmas Holiday iii. 70 We heard that he'd been taken to a cell on the fourth floor of the prison. 1962I. Murdoch Unofficial Rose ii. vii. 69 The room, which was on the ground floor, had windows on both sides. 1980V. S. Pritchett Edge of Cliff 112 Their flat was on the ground floor.
[g.] (e) in receipt of a wage, salary, etc. of (a specific amount).
1972Daily Tel. (Colour Suppl.) 4 Feb. 19 (Advt.), Think about the pay (by 20, as aircrew, you could be on {pstlg}2110 a year). 1987World Soccer Mar. 18/2 While he was with Sampdoria, he was ‘on’ some {pstlg}300,000 a year, tax free, plus free accommodation and travel and car.
[2.] b. Above or against a background of (a contrasting colour). Freq. in Heraldry. Also transf.
1572J. Bossewell Armorie ii. f. 34v, The fourth beareth Azure, on a Bende Argent..a Lyon Sable. 1751Chambers Cycl., Ermines is used by some English writers for the reverse of ermine, i.e. for white spots on a black field. 1858Hawthorne Passages from Fr. & It. Note-bks. (1871) I. 160 A statelier dome..shining on the background of the night of Time. 1929E. Bowen Last Sept. i. viii. 88 On the bright sky, opposite, Mr. Montmorency's pale face hung like an apparition's. 1936G. B. Shaw Millionairess ii. 159 A design of dull purple wreaths on a dark yellow background. 1973‘E. McBain’ Let's hear It vi. 75 The headline is ‘Red On Red’... The idea is to get this big red feeling.
c. Indicating possession of a characteristic feature, esp. of appearance.
1869‘Mark Twain’ Innoc. Abr. 434 One brute..had a neck on him like a bowsprit. 1939I. Baird Waste Heritage xxiii. 324 The Hindu had the most perfect body Matt had ever seen on a man. 1985‘J. Higgins’ Confessional (1986) 9 The white devil's face on him beneath the brim of the old felt hat.
d. Carried on or about one's person.
1932D. L. Sayers Have his Carcase xxvi. 352 Do you happen to have a railway time-table on you? 1968E. Bowen Eva Trout (1969) i. vii. 87 She..drew out what remained in the bank in cash and brought it to Broadstairs on her person. 1976S. Wales Echo 27 Nov. 3/5 She couldn't have gone far, she only had about {pstlg}1 on her.
[3.] b. Sport. Expressing the relationship between opposing players in attacking or defensive situations: in opposition to, against, as in one-(two-, etc.)on-one, man-on-man. Also transf. in gen. contexts. Chiefly N. Amer.
1939Scholastic Coach Oct. 34/3 Other basic defensive drills include the one-on-one, where an offensive man receives the ball and tries to outmaneuver a guard. 1948A. F. Rupp Championship Basketball xix. 172 This brings us to our next situation which is the 3 on 2. 1955K. Loeffler On Basketball vi. 121 Its front three can break quickly going from defense to offense with three on two. 1973J. Bukata One-on-One 8 He would often spend 12 to 14 hours a day..participating in one-on-one, two-on-two or three-on-three games. 1989New Yorker 2 Jan. 38/3 As he [sc. Reagan] had done in Sacramento, he decided against having one-on-one meetings with aides and officials. He wanted other people..in the room.
[10.] d. Indicating position in serial order: up to, at (a specific point). colloq.
1971P. Purser Holy Father's Navy iv. 22 We were already on the second of the two bottles we'd bought at the duty-free shop. 1988A. Lurie Truth about Lorin Jones ii. 28 He was now on his third wife, Polly's mother having been the first.
[11.] c. According to; in the style of, on the model of, after; = upon prep. 11 b.
1805Wordsworth Ode to Duty, This ode is on the model of Gray's Ode to Adversity. 1820Scott Let. in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life W. Scott (1837) IV. xi. 371 She ran a set of variations on ‘Kenmure's on and awa’. 1886Pall Mall Gaz. 10 Dec. 12/1 Percival's new model of the præpostorial system, carried out on Dr. Arnold's lines. 1942E. Bowen Bowen's Court i. 16 The inner frame of the front door and the mantelpiece are on the Roman pattern. 1967A. Carter Magic Toyshop i. 3 She performed a number of variations on the basic bread-pudding recipe. 1977B. F. Chamberlin in Bond & McLeod Newslett. to Newspapers iv. 252 A spoof on a pirated letter written by Williams.
[II.] [20.] a. Indicating that which forms the means of sustenance. Also fig. Cf. upon prep. 11 e.
c1000Leechd. Early Eng. (1865) II. 62 Eft ġenim swines scearn þær þe on dun lande and wyrtum libbe. 1486Bk. St. Albans sig. C viij, She fedith on all maner of flesh. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. i. ii. 106 Injurious Waspes, to feede on such sweet hony, And kill the Bees that yeelde it, with your stings. 1661Pepys Diary 10 Mar. (1970) II. 52 Dined at home on a poor Lenten dinner of Coleworts and bacon. 1733Pope Ess. Man iii. 61 All feed on one vain patron. 1871E. Lear Owl & Pussy-Cat in Nonsense Songs, They dined on mince and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon. 1950G. B. Shaw Farfetched Fables vi. 126 They found they could live on air, and that eating and drinking caused diseases of which their bodies died. 1954D. Abse Ash on Young Man's Sleeve 62 Then he'd feed us on ice cream. 1975G. Lyall Judas Country xxiv. 179 A TWA crew..was breakfasting on turkey sandwiches at the next table.
▪ II. on, adv. (a., n.1)|ɒn|
[Orig. the same word as prec., viz. OTeut. *ana, OS. ana, an, OE. an, ǫn. In the OE. instances almost always intimately connected with a vb. as a ‘separable particle’, like the Ger. separable an in an-kommen, etc.; in mod.Eng. often an elliptic use of the prep. = on something understood.]
A. adv.
1. a. In the position of being in contact with, or supported by, the upper surface of something.
c900tr. Bæda's Hist. iv. iv. (1890) 274 Sume ᵹerisne stowe.. mynster on to timbrenne. 1632Milton L'Allegro 132 Then to the well-trod stage anon, If Jonsons learned Sock be on. 1844Dickens Mart. Chuz. ix, The pudding-plates had been washed..while cheese was on.
b. to be on: to be addicted to, or regularly taking, a drug or drugs; to be under the influence of drugs. Cf. on prep. 1 k. U.S. slang.
1938Amer. Speech XIII. 188/2 To be on, to be addicted or actively indulging the [drugs] habit. 1955W. Gaddis Recognitions i. v. 197 She's high right now, can't you see it? She's been on for three days. 1956B. Holiday Lady sings Blues (1973) xiv. 121 When I was on, I was on and nobody gave me any trouble. No cops, no treasury agents, nobody. I got into trouble when I tried to get off. 1968Sun Mag. (Baltimore) 13 Oct. 19/3 When I took sets, I'd do it on the way to school... I'd always be on when I had to read in speech class.
2. Into the position defined in 1 a.
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. xvii. 124 Ðæt se se þe wunde lacnian wille ᵹeote win on. c1205Lay. 311 Brutus sette on his flo. He wende to sceoten þat hea der. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 85 To-morne on the morning, quhen thow sall on leip, Pryse at the parting, how that thow dois. 1645Evelyn Diary 11 Apr., Dashing the..whipcord over their shoulders, as hard as they could lay it on. 1824Byron Juan xv. lxv, They also set a glazed Westphalian ham on.
3. In the position of being attached to or covering any surface, esp. the body; on the body, as clothing or a limb.
c1205Lay. 1553 He hefde brunie on. c1300St. Brandan 613 None other clothes nadde he on. a1366Chaucer Rom. Rose 1187 Largesse hadde on a robe fresh. c1450Merlin 191 Thei hadde on hattes of stile. 1570B. Googe Pop. Kingd. ii. 26 To weare a linnen Ephod on. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, iv. ii. 126 O let me thinke on Hastings, and be gone To Brecnock, while my fearefull Head is on. 1611― Cymb. ii. i. 26 You crow Cock, with your combe on. 1711Addison Spect. No. 128 ⁋9 He had a clean Shirt on. 1850Tennyson In Mem. vi, A riband or a rose; For he will see them on to-night. 1887‘Mabel Wetheral’ Two North-Country Maids xxv. 174 Her pretty buff cotton gown, which was clean on that morning. 1890J. Hill Unfort. Arrangem. I. vi. 144 He had on an unobtrusive suit of dark brown tweed. a1902Mod. slang, Keep your hair on!
4. a. Into the position defined in 3.
a1000Fate (Cod. Exon.) 87 Sum sceal wildne fuᵹel atemian, heafoc on honda..deþ he wyrplas on. c1000–[see do v. 48]. 1526Tindale Luke xii. 22 Take no thought..for youre body, what ye shall putt on. 1590Lodge Rosalind (Cassell) 93 And with that she slipped on her petticoat. 1605Shakes. Macb. ii. ii. 70 Get on your Night-Gowne. 1712Addison Spect. No. 311 ⁋5 He immediately drew on his Boots. 1781C. Johnston Hist. J. Juniper II. 44 To make..delays, by frequent tryings on, and alterations of our hero's clothes. a1814Way to win Her v. iii. (New Brit. Theatre II. 466), Mother is tying on her goloshoes.
b. ellipt. for go on; on with = put on, don.
c1485Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 1183 On xall my westment and myn aray. 1605Rowlands Hell's Broke Loose 45 On with rich attire. 1753Foote Eng. in Paris i. Wks. 1799 I. 39 I'll on with my Jemmys. 1826Disraeli Viv. Grey iii. vi, I will doff my travelling cap, and on with the monk's cowl.
5. In a direction towards something, at; as to look on.
6. Towards something in the way of approach; approaching in space, time, or condition.
c1400–50[see come v. 62 a, f]. 1535–[see draw v. 86 d]. 1704Lond. Gaz. No. 4054/1 The great use of their Gallies in towing on or off their great Ships. 1885Truth 2 July 3/1 It was getting on for two before supper was served. 1894Ld. Wolseley Life Marlborough II. lxv. 195 How dreadful are the words ‘Go on!’ to the man who longs to mingle in the fray, and shout ‘Come on!’ instead.
7. a. Directed towards, or in a line with, something.
1804Nelson Apr. in Nicolas Disp. (1845) V. 520 The mark for being clear of the Malora North End, is the Guard-House on the Beach..on with the last hillock of the nearest ridge of mountains. 1875Bedford Sailor's Pocket Bk. vii. (ed. 2) 267 She will be steered with sufficient accuracy if her gunwale..be kept ‘on with’ the outer ends of the oars of the leader.
b. broadside on, face on, stem on, etc.: With the face, stem, or other part directed to the point of contact.
1800–40[see broadside n. 1 c]. 1856Leisure H. V. 332/1 He lost his hold, and fell face on into the water. 1884Standard 19 May 4 The vessels struck one another stem on.
8. Cricket. To the on side.
1882Daily Tel. 24 June, This he shortly followed up by driving C. T. Studd on for 2.
9. a. Onward, forward, in space or time.
a1000Andreas 1336 Ræsdon on sona. c1200Ormin 7717 He wollde..uss..brinngenn onn To follȝhenn þeȝȝre bisne. c1230Hali Meid. 17 Þat mahten bringe þe on mis for to donne. a1350Cursor M. 5987 (Gött.) Wend on þann, siþen ȝe wil ga. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. clv. 136 Or half a yere be go an. 1600Holland Livy iii. liv. 124 They passe on through the cittie. 1675Hobbes Odyssey (1677) 256 From that day on, centaurs and men are foes. 1809Malkin Gil Blas ii. vii. ⁋6 Do they get on in the world? 1820Byron Mar. Fal. iii. i. 12 Seeing this Patrician pestilence spread on and on. 1831Blackw. Mag. Jan. 83/2 [The police officer] possesses the power..of ordering them to ‘move on’.
b. ellipt. = Go on, advance.
c1425Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1077 On in Pluto name! On! & all ys owre! 1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. iv. 2 Or shall we on without Apologie? 1627Sanderson Serm. I. 284 Unless God kept him back, he must on. 1713J. Warder True Amazons 95 Yet on they must. 1808Scott Marm. vi. xxxii, Charge, Chester, charge! On, Stanley, on! 1855Kingsley Plays & Purit. 181 But no; he must on for honour's sake.
10. a. Gone onward or ahead; in advance in space or time.
17..Old Song in Burns' Works, Oh Kenmure's on and awa, Willie! 1872Black Adv. Phaeton xxi. 301 It was now well on in the afternoon. 1887A. Birrell Obiter Dicta Ser. ii. 91 Later on music was dragged into the fray.
b. Cricket, etc.: In advance of the opposite side.
1884Lillywhite's Cricket Ann. 61 Notts were 392 on. 1892Daily News 14 Sept. 3/6 As the game now stands the professionals with seven wickets to fall are 79 runs on.
c. slang. On the way to intoxication; the worse for drink.
1802Naval Chron. VII. 273 The Amelia's men being a little on, could not bear being thwarted. 1894Wilkins & Vivian Green Bay Tree I. 99 Pimlico, who was now slightly ‘on’..was shouted down.
d. Betting. In favour (of a particular horse, etc., winning). Cf. against prep. (adv.) 18.
1922Joyce Ulysses 632 Betting 5 to 4 on Zinfandel, 20 to 1 Throwaway (off). 1923, etc. [see odds on adv. s.v. odds n. 8]. 1964A. Wykes Gambling viii. 197 If the odds are 2 to 1 on and you bet $2, your total payout would be $3—your $2 stake money plus your $1 win. 1979Seth-Smith & Mortimer Derby 200 iii. 97 His price was the unrewarding one of 7-2 on.
11. a. With onward movement or action; continuously; to speak on, hold on, work on, wait on, to continue to speak, hold, work, wait.
c1000ælfric Saints' Lives xxi. 236 [He] nyste butan hi sungon þone lof-sang forð on. a1225Leg. Kath. 434 He heold on to herien his heaðene maumez. c1386Chaucer Cook's Prol. 22 Now telle on, Roger, looke that it be good. 1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. Sept. 55 Now say on Diggon. 1665R. Brathwait Comm. 2 Tales Chaucer 148 Go on with your Tale. 1795Burke Regic. Peace iv. Wks. IX. 26 Speculate on! 1858Froude Hist. Eng. xx. IV. 235 The regent waited on, and the event came. 1891D. Russell Secret of River I. xiii. 289 He sent me money regular, to keep on the house.
b. Colloq. phrases: to be on about: to keep talking about, to harp on, to speak or write about (a subject); to be on at: to nag or scold (a person); to go on about: see go v. 86 g; to go on at: see go v. 86 g; to keep (or go) on and on: to persist in speaking or questioning, to nag at a person.
1909Westm. Gaz. 22 Sept. 8/2 Yesterday morning complainant was ‘on’ to him again about his religion. 1916Kelso Chron. 24 Mar. 3 He was on about wa's that had ears. 1936R. Lehmann Weather in Streets viii. 348 Marda's always asking me why I don't get a divorce... Last year she was always on about it. 1938N. Marsh Artists in Crime x. 145, I told him it would upset me but he went on and on. 1941Baker Dict. Austral. Slang 51 On at (a person), to be, to scold, reprove, nag at a person. 1952A. Baron With Hope, Farewell 94 Well, now the second one's on at him to get married. 1958N. F. Simpson Resounding Tinkle ii. in Observer Plays 267 Fred was on at me to go up but I had my old coat on. 1966Listener 22 Dec. 939/1 A reflection that brings us back to atmosphere and art forms, which I was on about some weeks ago. 1973‘C. Aird’ His Burial Too iv. 40 The garage key that Ada Turvey was on about..that's still in the lock. 1974G. Butler Coffin for Canary ii. 35 ‘You looked terrible yesterday,’ he said. He kept on and on. He always did. 1974‘J. Melville’ Nun's Castle ix. 214 He kept on and on at me till he got it out. I wouldn't have told him otherwise. 1975K. Barclay tr. P. Orum's Whipping-Boy xxiii. 161 ‘He kept on and on at me.’.. ‘I didn't do it.’.. ‘Why can't you let me alone?’
12. Into action or operation: thrash on, proceed to thrash.
13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2300 Wy þresch on, þou þro mon, þou þretez to longe. c1400[see come v. 62 c]. 1593–[see draw v. 86 b]. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 113 Thay set stoutlie onn, doubteng na danger. 1667Milton P.L. v. 233 Converse with Adam..and such discourse bring on, As may advise him of his happie state. 1745P. Thomas Jrnl. Anson's Voy. 276 The Tuffoons commonly come on..suddenly. 1832R. H. Froude Rem. (1838) I. 271 At last it came on to rain. 1892Chamb. Jrnl. 4 June 367/1 We turned our lanterns full on.
13. a. Of persons: Engaged in some function or course of action; on the stage, the field, etc.
a1541Wyatt Poet. Wks. (1861) 84 Now thus, now than, Now off, now an, Uncertain as the dice. 1640[see off and on B.]. 1793W. Roberts Looker-on No. 54 (1794) II. 315 Then to the Playhouses anon, If Quick or Bannister be on. 1823Mrs. Cameron Cleanliness next to Godliness 3, ‘I try to keep things tolerably decent, but it's a hard matter..I am always on’, replied Alice. 1883G. R. Sims Lifeboat etc. 12 She was on at the Lane last winter—She played in the pantomime. 1888Steel & Lyttleton Cricket (Badm. Libr.) iii. 141 Supposing a slow bowler has been ‘on’ for some time. 1891L. B. Walford Mischief of Monica III. 62, ‘I thought he was on with Daisy’, burst forth her son. Mod. colloq. He has been on for three years, and now retires.
b. Of things: In progress or course of action; in a state of activity. Also, of an event: arranged; going to happen. Of food or the like: placed on the stove, etc., to cook; cooking. Also to have nothing on: to have no engagements, business, etc.
[1605Shakes. Lear ii. iv. 172 So will you wish on me, when the rash moode is on.] 1748, etc. [see put v.1 46 k]. c1825J. Walker Factory Lad I. iii. 8 Interior of Allen's House—Fire place, with saucepan on. 1830Examiner 76/1 Several commissions being ‘on’ at the same time. 1841Dickens Barn. Rudge xvii. 31 Hurrah! Polly put the ket-tle on, we'll all have tea. 1841Mrs. Gaskell Let. 23 Dec. (1966) 46 Yesterday this plan seemed quite given up—today..it's on again—if all goes on well. 1873Black Pr. Thule ii. 13 There was a considerable sea on. 1882Society 18 Nov. 11/2 The schools at Oxford are ‘on’ once more. 1883W. Aitken Lays of Line 135 The fire's black oot, and the parrich no on. 1884Manch. Exam. 3 July 5/3 There is a terrible row on between the old and the new divisions. a1902Mod. Is the gas on? The water was not on. 1908R. W. Chambers Firing Line iv. 46 If you and Virginia have nothing better on I'll dine with you tonight. 1915R. Fry Let. 27 Feb. (1972) II. 383 I'm pushed away into any place and only wanted when there's nothing better on. 1938D. Runyon Furthermore vii. 129, I have nothing on of importance at the moment. 1955M. Allingham Beckoning Lady ii. 21 It's still on, is it, the party? 1955E. Coxhead Figure in Mist ii. 69 ‘I left the potatoes on,’ she muttered, and fled into the house. 1972J. Gill Tenant i. iii. 25 I've nearly done, just putting the rice on. 1973J. Burrows Like an Evening Gone i. 11 Miss Limb, amazingly, had fallen in with Greta's plans. ‘So it's on.’ 1973‘E. McBain’ Hail to Chief iv. 55 The television set was on, but the volume control was apparently broken. 1974M. Ingate Sound of Weir xvii. 150 I'd better be getting the dinner on. We've only got sausages. 1974Times 14 Mar. 16/3 It must have been the only diplomatic function on in London because many hundreds of the most notable people..were there.
c. Having a wager on (something). Freq. in colloq. phr. you are (or you're) on: the bet or bargain is agreed.
1812Sporting Mag. XXXIX. 23 They declared themselves off, a thing unknown in sporting, after they had been on. 1883Standard 18 June 2/4 The scratching of Winchester has been a rare blow to those who were determined..to be ‘on’ early. 1933Sun (Baltimore) 25 Apr. 18/7 ‘I'll bet you a lobster dinner and all the champagne we can drink, if legal, that the dam will be filled by February 1,’ said Mr. Smith... ‘You're on,’ said Mr. Crozier. 1961J. Seymour Fat of Land i. 19 ‘I'll let you have the two cottages..for ten pounds a year.’ ‘You are on,’ I said. 1967J. Burke Till Death us do Part x. 153 ‘I'll give it [sc. smoking] up if you do.’.. ‘All right,’ snapped Alf. ‘All right, you're on.’ 1969Y. Carter Mr. Campion's Farthing xvi. 156 ‘Just to seal the bargain,’ he said... ‘You're on.’ 1974L. Deighton Spy Story xviii. 194 ‘A quid,’ I said. ‘You're on,’ said Ferdy.
d. to be on: to be in favour of, or willing to be a party to, something. colloq.
1888‘R. Boldrewood’ Robbery under Arms I. xi. 132 ‘What shall we do, Jim?..go or not?’.. ‘I'm half a mind to tell Warrigal to..say we're not on.’ Ibid. 138 Now we're here what's the play called, and when does the curtain rise? We're on. 1890― Miner's Right II. xiii. 23 ‘I'm on,’ answered Joe, a ray of humour irradiating his honest countenance. 1898‘H. S. Merriman’ Roden's Corner xiv. 145 If there is going to be fight..I'm on. 1916‘Taffrail’ Pincher Martin xiv. 270 ‘What about a glass of sherry to celebrate the auspicious occasion?’ ‘I'm on, Peter,..but I really think it's up to me to pay for it.’ 1923Wodehouse Inimitable Jeeves xiv. 161 This jamboree is slated for Monday week. The question is, Are we on? 1939K. Tennant Foveaux iv. 350 ‘Are you on?’ Herb asked impatiently as he began to remove his coat. ‘I'll give it a go.’ 1969V. Gielgud Necessary End i. 15 I'm on—if you want to play the equivalent of Twenty Questions.
e. In a state of knowledge or awareness regarding a person, state of affairs, etc. Cf. on to prep. 2. U.S. slang.
1885Santa Fé Weekly New Mexican 9 July 2/2 He hoped to sell the cavalry a large lot of supplies, but Major Van Horn was ‘on’. 1900Ade Fables in Slang 68 The Preacher didn't know what all This meant,..but you can rest easy that the Pew-Holders were On in a minute. 1902[see next a. 13 c]. 1909[see dope n. 3 a]. 1934J. M. Cain Postman always rings Twice i. 10, I saw he was on, and quit talking about the guy in the Cadillac. 1973R. Stout Please pass Guilt (1974) xviii. 164 Wolfe, turning and seeing Saul, was on as quick as I had been. He said..‘What?’
f. In negative contexts: acceptable, allowable; possible, likely; esp. in phr. it's (just) not on. colloq.
1935in Partridge Dict. Slang (1937) 587/2 The majority of amateur [snooker] players..wildly attempt shots that are not ‘on’. 1957Economist 19 Oct. 200/1 This proposal is no longer ‘on’. 1958M. Pugh Wilderness of Monkeys 38 ‘I say, that's a bit much,’ the military man said. ‘Not on.’ 1963P. H. Johnson Night & Silence xxviii. 208 He could not conceivably go on believing in Matthew's guilt. It was just not on. 1963Times 29 May 10/5 How can a ship fight effectively if a third of the crew is Portuguese, a third Belgian, and a third Danish? The thing is just not on. 1968R. V. Beste Repeat Instructions xvi. 174 ‘I'd like to dump the last two together next time.’ ‘That's not on,’ King told him tersely. ‘..Stick to procedure.’ 1973‘M. Innes’ Appleby's Answer ii. 23 How, I repeat, is a fellow to come by a cathedral? It just isn't on. 1975Guardian 20 Jan. 4/3 Reductions in the standard of living were not on.
g. Of an item of food: on the menu; available. Cf. off adv. 3 e. colloq.
1949‘M. Innes’ Journeying Boy xx. 248 Champ is off and eggs are on. 1953R. Fuller Second Curtain ix. 131, I always have the curry when it's on. 1963‘L. Bruce’ Crack of Doom vi. 53 Are you going to have lunch in the hotel? They've got sheeps' hearts on today.
h. it was (or is, etc.) on (for young and old): a description of complete disorder, a free-for-all. Austral. colloq.
1951E. Lambert Twenty Thousand Thieves (1952) xvii. 258 Peter Dimmock bounded between the tents leaping into the air at every few paces and whooping: ‘It's on! It's on for young and old!’ 1955J. Morrison Black Cargo 77 A day come when some of our blokes in Sydney just put their coats on and walked off the job. It was on then for young and old. 1969W. Dick Naked Prodigal 50 Just before closing time a brawl started when some bloke walking by spilt beer on Ackie so Ackie's young brother King hit him and the bloke's mate stepped in so Ackie hit him—and then it was on. 1971D. Martin Hughie (1972) xi. 106 He almost forgot about it until the evening of Sunday when the party was due and when, in Harry's words, it was on for young and old.
14. Used idiomatically with many verbs: e.g. carry, catch, come, get, go, hold, keep, look, put, send, take, try on, etc.: see the verbs.
B. adj. (Cf. off C.)
1. a. Cricket. Applied to that side of the wicket on which the batsman stands, or to the corresponding side of the field (i.e. in the case of right-hand batting, the side on the left of the wicket-keeper). Also of a ball or hit on this side. Opp. to off C. 2 b.
1833J. Nyren Young Cricketer's Tutor 34 The best way to play a ball, bowled as wide as your legs on the on side. 1836[see off a. 2 b]. 1836New Sporting Mag. July 196 On-balls have a greater tendency to turn in towards the wicket. 1851Lillywhite Guide to Cricketers 20 A good general will often place three men instead of two on the ‘on’ side. 1854J. Pycroft Cricket Field (ed. 2) vii. 117 An angle sufficient to make Off or On hits. 1892Daily News 6 May 5/2 A captain who has studied lady's play,..will put most of her fields on the ‘on’ side. 1897Ranjitsinhji Cricket 170 Let us now turn our attention to strokes on the on-side. 1898K. S. Ranjitsinhji With Stoddart's Team (ed. 4) i. 32 For..excellence of ‘on side’ play he can be compared with the best players. Ibid. vi. 112 Iredale..got out to Hearne in attempting a huge ‘on’ hit. 1903Westm. Gaz. 23 June 3/1 In all those on-side strokes..Fry is a master. 1904F. C. Holland Cricket 16 The on strokes are not so often used as the off strokes. 1909Westm. Gaz. 17 Apr. 16/2 A good back and on-side player..may confidently expect to do well under these conditions. 1959Times 11 June 3/5 Bold strokes, particularly on the onside.
b. on-verse [tr. G. Anvers]: the first half-line of a line of Old English verse. Also attrib. Cf. off-verse (off a. 2 c).
1935,1953[see off a. 2 c]. 1953[see ictus 1]. 1970Jrnl. Eng. & Gmc. Philol. LXIX. 438 Rime forces all final lifts in on-verse or off-verse into prominence.
2. In reference to the licensed sale of liquors: Short for ‘on the premises’; opp. to off C. 5. Often hyphened, as on-licence.
1891Daily News 11 Mar. 3/2 The number of licensed houses mentioned in the on-licences return. 1892W. Beatty-Kingston Intemperance 63 It is not in the least necessary to persecute the ‘on’ licensee. 1896Westm. Gaz. 5 Mar. 3/3 The Bill which placed off-licence holders under similar control as on-licence holders. 1899Daily News 13 Apr. 6/3 The influence of the ‘on’ licensed houses.
3. Corresponding to the state (of an electrical device) of being on (on adv. 13 b).
1899J. Pigg Railway ‘Block’ Signalling vii. 364 When the arm is in the ‘on’ position, the mercury connects the two plates and completes the circuit. 1924Wireless World 19 Mar. 772/2 This sort of switch is called a double-pole single-way switch, because it controls two circuits with one operation and has only one ‘on’ position. 1962Simpson & Richards Physical Princ. Junction Transistors vii. 142 Because the voltage across the transistor is a fraction of a volt losses in the ‘on’ state are small. 1962E. G. Davies in G. A. T. Burdett Automatic Control Handbk. iii. 2 The isolator is hand operated and provided with distinct on and off positions. 1967Electronics 6 Mar. 133/1 With the modified circuit the relay's on-time is independent of input pulse characteristics.
4. Physiol. Of, pertaining to, or exhibiting the electrical activity that occurs briefly in some optic nerve fibres in vertebrates upon the commencement of illumination of the retina.
1903F. Gotch in Jrnl. Physiol. XXIX. 393 The first portion is the rise due to the sudden illumination; this I propose for brevity to term the ON effect. Ibid. 394 The upward movement of the image of the mercury indicates a positive (+) change in the eyeball in the ON, continuous and OFF reactions. Ibid. 398 The development of the ON change under these two conditions. 1937Brit. Jrnl. Psychol. XXVII. 302 In the human eye the ‘on effect’ may occupy a time of the order of o·1 sec. 1941S. H. Bartley Vision xii. 286 The on-response is, in the main, duplex. 1948,1972[see off a. 7].
C. n.1 Cricket. = on side: see B. 1. attrib. in on drive, on-drive, a drive to the on side: see also on-drive v.; on-theory, a theory that favours concentrating the fielders on the on side and bowling the ball at or outside the on stump.
1862Baily's Monthly Mag. Aug. 87 A on-drive from Jackson for 5. 1881Daily News 9 July 2 He then drove Moncreiffe to the on for four. Ibid., Newton scored..three for a good on drive. 1896Westm. Gaz. 24 July 5/2 Wynyard then made a fine on-drive off Trumble for 3. 1896Badminton Mag. Sept. 280 A few bowlers have an ‘on-theory’. 1900W. J. Ford Cricketer on Cricket x. 118 George Giffen..could bowl ‘off-theory’ or ‘on-theory’..with equal skill. 1963Times 11 June 4/6 With a powerful on-drive Barker took his score to 49 and off the next ball completed a fine half century.
Add:[A.] [13.] [c indigo][f.][/c] For ‘In negative’ read ‘Freq. in negative’, and add further examples.
1958Listener 30 Oct. 709/2 East might think that Six would be on, but he could reflect that he had shown both his features. 1987C. Lloyd Year at Great Dixter 51, I have never really succeeded with tulips..in a meadow setting... And yet I still feel that, given the right tulip..it should be on.
i. Performing or functioning well; ellipt. for on form.
1968Blues Unlimited Dec. 10 He was so good and ‘on’ that he pulled an impromptu encore. 1969Listener 8 May 651/2 Form is elusive. If a footballer is ‘on’, and the ball is running for him, there is the anxiety that this may not last. 1976in Webster's Sports Dict. 289/1 He was on and couldn't miss a shot.
▪ III. ‖ on, n.2|ɒn|
[Jap.]
In feudal or prewar Japan, the sense of deep gratitude with an obligation or duty of service towards often highly formalized favours, as towards one's parents, teachers, lords, or the Emperor.
1946R. Benedict Chrysanthemum & Sword (1947) v. 99 The word for ‘obligations’ which covers a person's indebtedness from greatest to least is on... On is in all its uses a load, an indebtedness, a burden, which one carries as best one may. Ibid. 101 On is always used in this sense of limitless devotion when it is used of one's first and greatest indebtedness, one's ‘Imperial on’. This is one's debt to the Emperor, which one should receive with unfathomable gratitude... Every kamikaze pilot of a suicide plane was, they said, repaying his Imperial on. 1964I. Fleming You only live Twice iv. 56 He's acquired an ON with regard to me. That's an obligation—almost as important in the Japanese way of life as ‘face’. When you have an ON, you're not very happy until you've discharged it honourably.
▪ IV. on, v.|ɒn|
[f. the adv.]
1. intr. To go on; to move forward. Cf. on adv. 9 b. U.S. dial.
1840C. F. Hoffman Greyslaer II. ii. x. 27 I'll see the eend of it. So with that, I ups and ons.
2. to on with: to place or put on. Cf. on adv. 4 b. dial.
1843‘R. Carlton’ New Purchase I. xix. 170 She bethought as how she'd render off her fat; and so she ons with the grate pot. 1899Dickinson & Prevost Gloss. Words Cumberland 231/2 Ah on's wi' my cwoat an' off teh wark. 1960Forfar Dispatch 28 Jan. 8/5, I ons w'ee porridge pot.
▪ V. on, particle
the pref. on- = un-1, often written separately in ME.; also, in mod.Sc. dial., in sense ‘without’: see on-4.
▪ VI. † on
erron. ME. expansion of o = oð, oth conj., until: cf. o prep.3
c1320Cast. Love 472 Ich..wole wiþ þe lede my lyf Euer on þat ilke stryf..mowe sum ende take.
▪ VII. † on
ME. 1 and 3 sing. pres. of unn-en v. Obs., to grant.
a1225Ancr. R. 26 Ȝif me on almihti God. |