The Meaning of on

• (prep.) The general signification of on is situation, motion, or condition with respect to contact or support beneath
• (prep.) 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.
• (prep.) 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.
• (prep.) 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.
• (prep.) 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.
• (prep.) In addition to; besides; -- indicating multiplication or succession in a series; as, heaps on heaps; mischief on mischief; loss on loss; thought on thought.
• (prep.) 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.
• (prep.) At or in the time of; during; as, on Sunday we abstain from labor. See At (synonym).
• (prep.) At the time of, conveying some notion of cause or motive; as, on public occasions, the officers appear in full dress or uniform. Hence, in consequence of, or following; as, on the ratification of the treaty, the armies were disbanded.
• (prep.) Toward; for; -- indicating the object of some passion; as, have pity or compassion on him.
• (prep.) At the peril of, or for the safety of.
• (prep.) 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.
• (prep.) 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.
• (prep.) In reference or relation to; as, on our part expect punctuality; a satire on society.
• (prep.) Of.
• (prep.) Occupied with; in the performance of; as, only three officers are on duty; on a journey.
• (prep.) In the service of; connected with; of the number of; as, he is on a newspaper; on a committee.
• (prep.) Forward, in progression; onward; -- usually with a verb of motion; as, move on; go on.
• (prep.) Forward, in succession; as, from father to son, from the son to the grandson, and so on.
• (prep.) In continuance; without interruption or ceasing; as, sleep on, take your ease; say on; sing on.
• (prep.) Adhering; not off; as in the phrase, \"He is neither on nor off,\" that is, he is not steady, he is irresolute.
• (prep.) Attached to the body, as clothing or ornament, or for use.
• (prep.) In progress; proceeding; as, a game is on.

Synonyms

along

Antonyms

off , off

Rhymes

abidjan , abron , adon , agamemnon , aguillon , aileron , alarcon , alcon , aleron , almazan , alon , amadon , amazon , amman , amon , antiphon , antoine , anton , aragon , argon , argonne , aton , aune , autobahn , automaton , avalon , avignon , axon , ayon , azerbaijan , babylon , balaban , balon , baran , bardon , bataan , baton , baughn , baun , bhutan , bon , bonn , bonne , boron , braun , braune , brawn , bronn , buisson , bygone , caan , cadogan , caen , capon , cardon , carillon , caron , carreon , celadon , cephalon , ceylon , chandon , chiffon , chon , christiaan , christiane , christianne , chuan , cimarron , come-on , comecon , con , conn , corron , coupon , couvillion , couvillon , craun , crayon , cron , dacron , dahn , dainippon , dameron , daun , dawn , denouement , deyton , dhahran , dijon , dion , dohn , don , donn , draughn , drawn , dwan , echelon , econ , egon , eldon , elston , encarnacion , epsilon , erion , evonne , exon , fawn , ferdon , fernand , flawn , foregone , forgone , frohn , gabaldon , gabon , garon , gawne , germiston , gibran , gnawn , gohn , goings-on , golan , gone , guei-yuan , guinan , guion , haan , hadron , hahn , halon , han , hargadon , hassan , haughn , haun , hawn , hebron , helicon , hexagon , hogan , hohn , hon , huan , huron , hwan , ilan , iran , irelan , jaan , jarmon , jaudon , javan , jiron , joffrion , johan , john , jon , jonn , juan , juran , kahn , kazakhstan , khan , kohn , kon , koran , kwan , kwon , lamon , lat-lon , laun , lawn , lexicon , liaison , lian , lohn , lon , lujan , madelon , magnetron , mahlon , mak-kwan , manion , maran , marathon , maron , mastodon , matalon , mayon , mazon , mccaughan , mcconn , mcglaun , memnon , menon , meson , micron , milan , miron , mohn , moldovan , monn , monzon , moron , moseley-braun , mouzon , napolitan , neutron , nikon , nilan , nippon , non , nylon , oberon , octagon , odds-on , oman , oran , oregon , orran , ortegon , overdrawn , pantheon , paragon , parmesan , parthenon , pawn , pecan , pentagon , perignon , peron , phenomenon , photon , pi-meson , pierron , pilon , pinzon , pion , plamondon , polygon , pompon , pon , positron , pousson , pran , praun , prawn , predawn , proton , put-on , pylon , qian , quan , quinton , rabon , radon , ragon , ramadan , rapprochement , raun , rohn , ron , ronne , run-on , saigon , salmeron , salon , sanjuan , santistevan , saskatchewan , schon , schwahn , schwan , schwann , sean , shaun , shawn , shon , silmon , siobhan , slip-on , sobon , sohn , sonn , sonne , sorbonne , spahn , spawn , srinivasan , stephane , strawn , swan , swann , taiwan , teheran , tehran , telefon , thereon , thereupon , thon , thrawn , tian , tonn , toran , tron , tucson , upon , vardon , varnon , varon , vaughan , vaughn , verdon , villagran , villalon , vivyan , von , von-braun , walk-on , wan , wann , waylon , whereupon , withdrawn , woebegone , xian , xuan , yaohan , yaun , yawn , yirng-an , yohn , yon , yonne , yuan , yukon , yvonne , zamarron , zaun , zon