Definition of "on"

on¹

/ɒn/

adjective
not comparable
1. In the state of being active, functioning or operating.
2. Performing according to schedule; taking place.
3. Fitted; covering; being worn.
4. (postpositive) Of a stated part of something, oriented towards the viewer or other specified direction.
5. (chiefly UK, informal, usually negative) Acceptable, appropriate.
  Quotations
  This kind of over-packaging of goods is completely not on.
  1998 May 22, Phoenix Gamma, “If I was owned Nintendo...”, in alt.games.video.nintendo-64 (Usenet)
  so Simon Nelson saying on Feedback "we'd prefer it if everybody listened to digital radio via DAB" is completely not on at all.
  2003 August 12, DAB sounds worse than FM, “Gerg Dyke's Speech at Radio Festival”, in alt.radio.digital (Usenet)
6. (informal) Destined, normally in the context of a challenge being accepted; involved, doomed.
7. (baseball, informal) Having reached a base as a runner and being positioned there, awaiting further action from a subsequent batter.
  Quotations
  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 February 24, Chris Kennedy, “Aggies Earn Series Win Over Yale in Sunday Finale”, in New Mexico State University Athletics‎
  Although Stanford was outhit 15-6, the Cardinal stranded eight runners to UCLA's three, hitting just 3-15 with runners on compared to the Bruin's 9-22.
  2019 April 6, Daniel Martinez-Krams, “Baseball Falls Short in Game 2 of UCLA Series”, in The Stanford Daily‎
8. (cricket) Within the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs; the left side for a right-handed batsman.
9. (acting, drama, roleplaying games) Acting in character.
10. (euphemistic) Menstruating.
  Quotations
  It still gets in the way of her doing things like swimming, and she avoids sleepovers when she's "on".
  2011, Hollie Smith Netmums, You and Your Tween: Managing the years from 9 to 13, Hachette
11. (informal, of a person) Performative or funny in a wearying manner.
adverb
not comparable
1. To an operating state.
2. So as to cover or be fitted.
3. Along, forwards (continuing an action).
  Quotations
  He met Luis Suarez's cross at the far post, only for Chelsea keeper Petr Cech to show brilliant reflexes to deflect his header on to the bar. Carroll turned away to lead Liverpool's insistent protests that the ball had crossed the line but referee Phil Dowd and assistant referee Andrew Garratt waved play on, with even a succession of replays proving inconclusive.
  2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport‎
4. In continuation, at length.
5. (obsolete in the US) Later.
6. Of betting odds, denoting a better-than-even chance. See also odds-on.
preposition
1. Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
  Quotations
  I stood on the bridge at midnight.
  1845, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Bridge
2. Positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to.
3. Expressing figurative placement, burden, or attachment.
4. Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with.
5. At or in (a certain region or location).
6. Near; adjacent to; alongside; just off.
7. Supported by (the specified part of itself).
8. So as to impart force to.
9. So as to impact; against.
10. Covering.
11. (with certain modes of transport, especially public transport) Inside (a vehicle) for the purpose of travelling.
12. At the date of.
13. Sometime during the day of.
14. At a given time after the start of something; at.
  Quotations
  The Spain striker had given Chelsea the lead on 29 minutes but was shown a straight red card 10 minutes later for a rash challenge on Mark Gower.
  2011 September 24, Aled Williams, “Chelsea 4-1 Swansea”, in BBC Sport
15. Dealing with the subject of; about; concerning.
  Quotations
  [...] I received a note from that gentleman on a most trivial matter. I answered it as trivially.
  1869 May, Anthony Trollope, “Lady Milborough as Ambassador”, in He Knew He Was Right, volume I, London: Strahan and Company, […], page 85
16. (informal) In the possession of.
17. Because of; due to; upon the basis of (something not yet confirmed as true).
18. Upon; at the time of (and often because of).
19. Paid for by.
20. Indicating a means or medium.
21. Indicating the target of, or thing affected by, an event or action.
22. Toward; for; indicating the object of an emotion.
23. (especially Ireland) Indicating the person experiencing an emotion, cold, thirst, hunger, etc.
  Quotations
  ' […] the hunger is on me to carry my sword in distant places.' Mynyddog bowed his head.
  2013 February 27, Rosemary Sutcliff, The Shining Company, Random House
  “Christ, the thirst on me.” “Sure, it's serious work, all that talk of independence.” The theater's stained-glass doors had first flung open in 1904, all in the hope of “rewriting the Irish identity,” of using culture in the fight […]
  2017 January 24, Ruth Gilligan, Nine Folds Make a Paper Swan, Tin House Books
  “I've got the hunger on me, I do.” Riordan snorted. Hardly a man knew hunger as he did. The prison rations at Point Lookout, spare enough, had been a feast compared to the black years in Ireland. […]
  2017 August 29, Ralph Peters, Judgment at Appomattox: A Novel, Forge Books, page 18
24. Indicating a means of subsistence.
25. Engaged in or occupied with (an action or activity).
26. Regularly taking (a drug).
27. Under the influence of (a drug, or something that is causing drug-like effects).
28. (mathematics) Having identical domain and codomain.
29. (mathematics) Having V n as domain and V as codomain, for some set V and integer n.
30. (mathematics) Generated by.
31. In addition to; besides; indicating multiplication or succession in a series.
32. (obsolete, regional) of
  Quotations
  Be not jealous on me.
  1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene ii]
  Or have we eaten on the insane root / That takes the reason prisoner?
  c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene iii]
33. Indicating dependence or reliance.
34. (obsolete) At the peril of, or for the safety of.
  Quotations
  Hence on thy life: the captive maid is mine; / Whom not for price or pray'rs I will reſign: [...]
  a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “The First Book of Homer’s Ilias”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume IV, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, page 415
35. Serving as a member of.
36. By virtue of; with the pledge of.
  1. (informal, cheifly in set phrases) Ellipsis of I swear on.: on my life, on God, on everything, etc.
37. To the account or detriment of; denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon.
  Quotations
  His blood be on vs, and on our children.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Matthew 27:25
38. (especially when numbers of combatants or competitors are specified) Against; in opposition to.
39. (philosophy, logic) According to, from the standpoint of; expressing what must follow, whether accepted or not, if a given premise or system is assumed true.
  Quotations
  On naturalism, it is therefore difficult to find a ground for ultimate moral hope.
  2021, Gavin Ortlund, Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn't: The Beauty of Christian Theism, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic
verb
third-person singular simple present ons, present participle oning or onning, simple past and past participle oned or onned
1. (Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Nigeria, transitive, colloquial) To switch on.

on²

/ɒn/

preposition
1. (UK dialectal, Scotland) Without.

on³

/ɒn/

noun
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.

Definition of "on"

on1

adjective

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adverb

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preposition

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verb

on2

preposition

on3

noun

on¹

on²

on³