on

preposition50

1. •
   touching the top of something and held up by it

   • A vase of flowers stood on the table.
   • Please lie down on the couch.
2. •
   At or during the date or day of.

   • Born on the 4th of July.
   • On Sunday I'm busy. I'll see you on Monday.
3. •
   (UK) At (a given time after the start of something).

   • Smith scored again on twelve minutes, doubling Mudchester Rovers' lead.
4. •
   At (an instant or cusp).

   • on the stroke of midnight; on the "B" of "Bang!"
5. •
   Positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to.

   • He had a scar on the side of his face.
   • There is a dirty smudge on this window.
6. •
   Covering.

   • He wore old shoes on his feet.
7. •
   Supported by (the specified part of itself).

   • A table can't stand on two legs.
   • After resting on his elbows, he stood on his toes, then walked on his heels.
8. •
   Dealing with the subject of; about; concerning.

   • I was reading a book on history.
   • The city hosted the World Summit on the Information Society
9. •
   Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything By means of; with.
10. •
    Indicating a means or medium.

    • I saw it on television.
    • Can't you see I'm on the phone?
11. •
    Denoting physical contact or interaction with an object, such as impact or application of force.
12. •
    With verbs describing an action of pushing, pulling, pressing, etc., designates the thing to which force is applied.
13. •
    With verbs describing an action of hitting, rubbing, scratching, binding against, etc., designates the thing impacted or contacted.

    • I stubbed my toe on an old tree stump.
    • I caught my fingernail on the door handle.
14. •
    Indicating the target of, or thing affected by, an event or action.

    • They planned an attack on London.
    • The soldiers mutinied and turned their guns on their officers.
15. •
    Toward; for; indicating the object of an emotion.

    • Have pity or compassion on him.
16. •
    Indicating position or location.
17. •
    At or in (a geographical location or position).

    • The lighthouse that you can see is on the mainland.
    • The suspect is thought to still be on the campus.
18. •
    At (a relative spatial position).

    • We live on the edge of the city.
19. •
    Aboard (a mode of transport, especially public transport, or transport that one sits astride or uses while standing).
20. •
    Indicating a means of subsistence or sustenance.

    • They lived on ten dollars a week.
    • The dog survived three weeks on rainwater.
21. •
    Indicating dependence or reliance.

    • I depended on them for assistance.
    • He will promise on certain conditions.
22. •
    Expressing figurative placement, burden, or attachment.

    • All of the responsibility is on him.
    • I put a bet on the winning horse.
23. •
    Paid for by.

    • The drinks are on me tonight, boys.
    • The meal is on the house.
24. •
    To the account or detriment of; denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon.

    • On us be all the blame.
    • A curse on him!
25. •
    Serving as a member of.

    • He is on the jury; I am on the committee.
26. •
    Engaged in or occupied with (an action or activity).

    • He's on his lunch break.
    • I'm on nights all this week.
27. •
    Regularly taking (a drug).

    • You've been on these antidepressants far too long.
28. •
    Under the influence of (a drug, or something that is causing drug-like effects).

    • He's acting crazy because he's on crack right now.
29. •
    In the possession of.

    • I haven't got any money on me.
30. •
    (UK) At (a certain value or level).

    • The Tories are on twenty-five percent in this constituency.
    • The blue team are on six points and the red team on five.
31. •
    At (a certain position within a sequence).

    • I'm on question four.
32. •
    At the time of (and often because of).

    • On Jack's entry, William got up to leave.
    • On the addition of ammonia, a chemical reaction begins.
33. •
    Near; adjacent to; alongside; just off.

    • The fleet is on the American coast.
34. •
    Arrived or coming into the presence of.

    • I need to get my planting done, as the season will soon be on us.
    • Before we knew it, the forest was on us, and the air grew colder and damper.
35. •
    Because of; upon the basis of (something not yet confirmed as true).
36. •
    According to, from the standpoint of; (expressing what must follow, whether accepted or not, if a given premise or system is assumed true).

    • On naturalism, it is therefore difficult to find a ground for ultimate moral hope. — 2021
37. •
    By virtue of; with the pledge of.

    • He affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honour.
38. •
    (informal) Ellipsis of I swear on: on my life, on God, on everything, etc.
39. •
    Against; in opposition to.

    • The fight was three on one, and he never stood a chance.
40. •
    In addition to; besides; indicating multiplication or succession in a series.

    • heaps on heaps of food
41. •
    (Ireland) Indicating the person experiencing an emotion, cold, thirst, hunger, etc.

    • I had a terrible thirst on me.
42. •
    In a position of being able to pot (a given ball).

    • All the way around the table, off four cushions, and ... and he's on the black!
43. •
    In the direction of (some part of one's vessel), to within 45 degrees.

    • A ship was sighted on the port quarter.
44. •
    Having as identical domain and codomain.
45. •
    Having Vⁿ as domain and V as codomain, for the specified set V and some integer n.
46. •
    Divided by.

    • Twenty on three.
47. •
    Generated by.

    • the free group on four letters
48. •
    (dialect, UK) Without.
49. •
    (dialect, no longer used) Of.

    • I never seen 'im, and that's the truth on it.
50. •
    (no longer used) At the peril of, or for the safety of.

    • Hence on thy life: the captive maid is mine; / Whom not for price or pray'rs I will resign: [...] — 1701

adjective14

1. •
   In the state of being active, functioning or operating.

   • All the lights are on, so they must be home.
2. •
   Happening; taking place; being or due to be put into action.

   • We had to ration our food because there was a war on.
   • Some of the cast went down with flu, but the show's still on.
3. •
   (informal) Of a person, used to express agreement to or acceptance of a proposal or challenge made by that person; most commonly with subject “you” (see you're on).

   • "Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ―"You're on!"
   • If he wants a fight, he's on!
4. •
   Fitted; covering or being worn.

   • Your feet will soon warm up once your socks are on.
   • I was trying to drink out of the bottle while the top was still on!
5. •
   (UK, informal) Acceptable, appropriate.

   • It's not fair to do that – it's just not on.
6. •
   Possible; capable of being successfully carried out.

   • Climbing up that steep ridge isn't on. We'll have to find another route.
   • He'd like to play the red next to the black spot, but that shot isn't on.
7. •
   (informal, euphemistic) Menstruating.

   • It still gets in the way of her doing things like swimming, and she avoids sleepovers when she's "on". — 2011
8. •
   Acting in character.
9. •
   (informal) Performative or funny in a wearying manner.

   • He always has to be on, it's so exhausting.
10. •
    Having reached a base as a runner and being positioned there, awaiting further action from a subsequent batter.

    • With one out and no men on, Tristen Carranza belted a ball to the opposite field for a solo home run to put the NM State deficit at just 2-1. — 2019
11. •
    Available; remaining.

    • Smith is 25 points ahead with only 23 on.
12. •
    [after a noun] Of a stated part of something, oriented towards the viewer or other specified direction.

    • The photograph shows the UFO side on.
13. •
    Within the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs; the left side for a right-handed batsman.

    • The captain moved two fielders to the on side.
    • Ponsonby-Smythe hit a thumping on drive.
14. •
    [after a noun] Of a ball, being the next in sequence to be potted, according to the rules of the game.

    • If the player fails to hit the ball on, it's a foul.

adverb7

1. •
   So as to cover or be fitted.

   • The lid wasn't screwed on properly.
   • Put on your hat and gloves.
2. •
   To an operating state.
3. •
   Along, forwards (continuing an action), onwards.

   • The policeman moved the tramp on.
   • Drive on past the railway station.
4. •
   In continuation, at length.

   • He rambled on and on.
5. •
   Later.

   • Ten years on, nothing had changed in the village.
6. •
   Of betting odds, denoting a better-than-even chance. See also odds-on.

   • That horse is twenty-to-one on, so you need to stake twenty pounds just to win one pound.
7. •
   Of a ball, into a pottable position.

   • The black was previously unavailable, but in potting that red, he's now pushed the black on.

noun1

1. •
   In the Japanese language, a pronunciation, or reading, of a kanji character that was originally based on the character's pronunciation in Chinese, contrasted with kun.

   • Most kanji have two kinds of reading, called "on" and "kun".

verb1

1. •
   (Philippines, informal) To switch on.

   • Can you on the light?

noun1

1. •
   Abbreviation of Ontario: a province of Canada.