ON

prep. ont class='text-text-gray-light dark:text-dark-text-gray-light'>[ OE. on, an, o, a, AS. on, an; akin to D. aan, OS. & G. an, OHG. ana, Icel. ā, Sw. å, Goth. ana, Russ. na, L. an-, in anhelare to pant, Gr. 'ana`, Zend ana. √195. Cf. A-, 1, Ana-, Anon. ]ont> The general signification of on is situation, motion, or condition with respect to contact or support beneath; as: -- ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

1. At, or in contact with, the surface or upper part of a thing, and supported by it; placed or lying in contact with the surface; as, the book lies on the table, which stands on the floor of a house on an island. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

I stood on the bridge at midnight. Longfellow. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

2. To or against the surface of; -- used to indicate the motion of a thing as coming or falling to the surface of another; as, rain falls on the earth. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken. Matt. xxi. 44. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

3. Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with; as, to play on a violin or piano. Hence, figuratively, to work on one's feelings; to make an impression on the mind. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

4. At or near; adjacent to; -- indicating situation, place, or position; as, on the one hand, on the other hand; the fleet is on the American coast. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

5. In addition to; besides; -- indicating multiplication or succession in a series; as, heaps on heaps; mischief on mischief; loss on loss; thought on thought. Shak. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

6. Indicating dependence or reliance; with confidence in; as, to depend on a person for assistance; to rely on; hence, indicating the ground or support of anything; as, he will promise on certain conditions; to bet on a horse; based on certain assumptions. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster +PJC ]ont>

7. At or in the time of; during; as, on Sunday we abstain from labor. See At (synonym). ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

8. At the time of; -- often conveying some notion of cause or motive; as, on public occasions, the officers appear in full dress or uniform; the shop is closed on Sundays. Hence, in consequence of, or following; as, on the ratification of the treaty, the armies were disbanded; start on the count of three. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster +PJC ]ont>

9. Toward; for; -- indicating the object of some passion; as, have pity or compassion on him. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

10. At the peril of, or for the safety of. “Hence, on thy life.” Dryden. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

11. By virtue of; with the pledge of; -- denoting a pledge or engagement, and put before the thing pledged; as, he affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honor. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

12. To the account of; -- denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon; as, on us be all the blame; a curse on him. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

His blood be on us and on our children. Matt. xxvii. 25. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

13. In reference or relation to; as, on our part expect punctuality; a satire on society. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

14. Of. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ Obs. ]ont> “Be not jealous on me.” Shak. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner? Shak. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

☞ Instances of this usage are common in our older writers, and are sometimes now heard in illiterate speech. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

15. Occupied with; in the performance of; as, only three officers are on duty; on a journey; on the job; on an assignment; on a case; on the alert. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster +PJC ]ont>

16. In the service of; connected with; a member of; as, he is on a newspaper; on a committee. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

☞ On and upon are in general interchangeable. In some applications upon is more euphonious, and is therefore to be preferred; but in most cases on is preferable. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

17. In reference to; about; concerning; as, to think on it; to meditate on it. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ PJC ]ont>

ong>On a bowlineong>. (Naut.) Same as Closehauled. --
ong>On a windong>, or
ong>On the windong> (Naut.), sailing closehauled. --
ong>On a suddenong>. See under Sudden. --
ong>On boardong>,
ong>On draughtong>,
ong>On fireong>, etc. See under Board, Draught, Fire, etc. --
ong>On itong>,
ong>On'tong>, of it. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ Obs. or Colloq. ]ont> Shak. --
ong>On shoreong>, on land; to the shore. --
ong>On the roadong>,
ong>On the wayong>,
ong>On the wingong>, etc. See under Road, Way, etc. --
ong>On toong>, upon; on; to; -- sometimes written as one word, onto, and usually called a colloquialism; but it may be regarded in analogy with into. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

They have added the -en plural form on to an elder plural. Earle. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

We see the strength of the new movement in the new class of ecclesiastics whom it forced on to the stage. J. R. Green. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

‖n.; pl. L. Onagri E. Onagers ont class='text-text-gray-light dark:text-dark-text-gray-light'>[ L. onager, onagrus, Gr. &unr_;. ]ont> 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A military engine acting like a sling, which threw stones from a bag or wooden bucket, and was operated by machinery. Fairholt. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

2. (Zool.) A wild ass of central Asia, especially the koulan (Equus hemionus syn. Equus hemippus syn. Equus onager, formely Asinus onager). ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster +PJC ]ont>

n. (Zool.) The dauw. ont class='text-text-gray-light dark:text-dark-text-gray-light'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

n. A form of drum used by the Chippewa indians. ont class='text-text-gray-light dark:text-dark-text-gray-light'>[ Century Dict. 1906 ]ont>

prop. n. (Bot.) Same as Oenothera, a genus of plants consisting of the evening primrose. ont class='text-text-gray-light dark:text-dark-text-gray-light'>[ PJC ]ont>

n. The female of the onager. ont class='text-text-gray-light dark:text-dark-text-gray-light'>[ PJC ]ont>

{ } a. ont class='text-text-gray-light dark:text-dark-text-gray-light'>[ From NL. Onagra an old scientific name of the evening primrose (Œnothera), fr. Gr. 'ona`gra a kind of plant; of uncertain origin. ]ont> (Bot.) Pertaining to, or resembling, a natural order of plants (Onagraceae or Onagrarieae), which includes the fuchsia, the willow-herb (Epilobium), and the evening primrose (Œnothera). ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>

n. ont class='text-text-gray-light dark:text-dark-text-gray-light'>[ Onan (Gen. xxxviii. 9): cf. F. onanisme. ]ont> Self-pollution; masturbation. ont color='#AEB5C0'>[ 1913 Webster ]ont>