on

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.

Adjective

  1. In the state of being active, functioning or operating.
    • All the lights are on, so they must be home.

    Antonyms: off

  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.
    • That TV programme that you wanted to watch is on now.

    1. (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!
  3. 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!
  4. Of a stated part of something, oriented towards the viewer or other specified direction.
    • The photograph shows the UFO side on.
    • edge on, side on, end on, face on
  5. Acceptable, appropriate.
    • It's not fair to do that – it's just not on.
    • 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...
  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. Available; remaining.
    • Smith is 25 points ahead with only 23 on.
  8. 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 February 24, Chris Kennedy, “Aggies Earn Series Win Over Yale in...
    • 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...
  9. 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.

    Synonyms: leg

    Antonyms: off

  10. 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.
  11. Acting in character.
  12. Performative or funny in a wearying manner.
    • He always has to be on, it's so exhausting.

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂en-der. Proto-Germanic *an Proto-West Germanic *ana Old English on Middle English on English on From Middle English on, from Old English on, an (“on, upon, onto, in, into”), from Proto-West Germanic *ana, from Proto-Germanic *ana (“on, at”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, onto”). Cognates Cognate with Yola a, an, ana, on (“on”), Saterland Frisian an (“on; at”), West Frisian oan (“on; to, towards”), Cimbrian aan, å (“on, onto”), Dutch aan (“on; at”), Low German an (“on; at, to”), German an (“at, in; on”), Luxembourgish un (“on; at, to”), Yiddish אָן (on, “on, onward”), Danish, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish å (“on”), Elfdalian ą̊ (“on”), Faroese and Icelandic á (“in; on”), Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌰 (ana, “at, on”); also Umbrian 𐌀𐌌- (am-), 𐌀𐌍- (an-, “up, upon”), Ancient Greek ἀνά (aná, “on, upon”) (whence Greek ανά (aná, “by, through, per”)), Albanian në...

Synonyms

on base

Adverb

  1. To an operating state.
    • turn the television on
  2. So as to cover or be fitted.
    • The lid wasn't screwed on properly.
    • Put on your hat and gloves.
  3. Along, forwards (continuing an action), onwards.
    • The policeman moved the tramp on.
    • Drive on past the railway station.
    • From now on things are going to be different.
  4. In continuation, at length.
    • and so on
    • 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.

    Antonyms: against

  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.

Synonyms

after afterward afterwards later subsequently thence

Antonyms

off

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

Origin

From Japanese 音読み (on'yomi, literally “sound reading”).

Related

kun on dit

Preposition Entry 4

  1. Indicating position or location.
    • A vase of flowers stood on the table.
    • Please lie down on the couch.
    • The parrot was sitting on Jim's shoulder.

    1. Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.

    2. 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.
      • The painting hangs on the wall.

    3. Covering.

      • He wore old shoes on his feet.

    4. 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.

    5. At (a relative spatial position).

      • We live on the edge of the city.
      • on the left, on the right, on the side, on the bottom

    6. Near; adjacent to; alongside; just off.

      • The fleet is on the American coast.
      • Croton-on-Hudson, Rostov-on-Don, Southend-on-Sea

    7. Aboard (a mode of transport, especially public transport, or transport that one sits astride or uses while standing).

      • on a bus, on a train, on a plane, on a ferry, on a yacht
      • on a bicycle, on a motorbike, on a horse, on a scooter

    8. (nautical) In the direction of (some part of one's vessel), to within 45 degrees.

      • A ship was sighted on the port quarter.
      • on the bow; on the starboard beam
  2. Expressing figurative placement, burden, or attachment.
    • All of the responsibility is on him.
    • I put a bet on the winning horse.
  3. Denoting physical contact or interaction with an object, such as impact or application of force.
    • tug on the rope; push hard on the door

    1. With verbs describing an action of pushing, pulling, pressing, etc., designates the thing to which force is applied.

    2. 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.
      • The rope snagged on a branch.

    3. Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything By means of; with.

      • to play on a violin or piano
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. At (a certain position within a sequence).
    • I'm on question four.
  7. 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.
    • Can I see you on a different day?
  8. At (a given time after the start of something).
    • Smith scored again on twelve minutes, doubling Mudchester Rovers' lead.
    • 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,...
  9. At (an instant or cusp).
    • on the stroke of midnight; on the "B" of "Bang!"
    • on the point of leaving; on the verge of giving up
    • About two weeks ago I had another foretaste of success and immediately on it a veritable disaster. - 1923, Ernest Bramah, The Eyes of Max Carrados:
  10. Dealing with the subject of; about; concerning.
    • I was reading a book on history.
    • The city hosted the World Summit on the Information Society
    • I have no opinion on this subject.
  11. Indicating a means or medium.
    • I saw it on television.
    • Can't you see I'm on the phone?
    • My favorite shows are on BBC America.
  12. 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.
    • Her words made a lasting impression on my mind.

Synonyms

about apropos as for by dint of due to

Related

depend put on airs

Derived

depending on end-on follow-on full-on guidon hands-on hereon land on meson onballer on call on-call on-campus on-chain onfield on foot onglaze ongoer ongoing on high onlap onlooker onpass on-prem

Preposition Scotland, UK

  1. Without.

Origin

From Old Norse ón, án (“without”), from Proto-Germanic *ēnu, *ēno, *ino (“without”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḗnu (“without”). Cognate with North Frisian on (“without”), Middle Dutch an, on (“without”), Middle Low German āne (“without”), German ohne (“without”), Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌿 (inu, “without, except”). Unlikely to be related to Ancient Greek ἄνευ (áneu, “without”), which is likely akin to Proto-Germanic *sundraz instead (whence sunder).

Forms

ohn

Verb

  1. To switch on.
    • Can you on the light?

    Synonyms: turn on

Forms

ons oning onning oned onned