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 (“in; on”), Latvian no (“from; out of; for; of; with”), Lithuanian nuo (“from, off; for, of”), Belarusian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, and Ukrainian на (na, “on”), Czech, Polish, Slovak, and Slovene na (“on”), Serbo-Croatian на, na (“on”), Old Armenian ան- (an-, “at, on, unto”); and from Old Norse upp á: Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, and Swedish på (“on”), Norwegian Nynorsk paa, på (“on”), see upon.
Meanings
(not-comparable) In the state of being active, functioning or operating.
All the lights are on, so they must be home.
(not-comparable) Happening; taking place; being or due to be put into action.
Mike just threw coffee onto Paul's lap. It's on now.
Some of the cast went down with flu, but the show's still on.
This is her last song. You're on next!
Are we still on for tonight?
England need a hundred runs, with twenty-five overs remaining. Game on!
That TV programme that you wanted to watch is on now.
We had to ration our food because there was a war on.
(informal, not-comparable) Happening; taking place; being or due to be put into action. ▸ 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).
If he wants a fight, he's on!
"Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ―"You're on!"
(not-comparable) 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!
(not-comparable, postpositional) Of a stated part of something, oriented towards the viewer or other specified direction.
edge on, side on, end on, face on
The photograph shows the UFO side on.
(UK, in the negative, informal, not-comparable) Acceptable, appropriate.
It's not fair to do that – it's just not on.
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):
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):
(in the negative, not-comparable) 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.
(not-comparable) Available; remaining.
Smith is 25 points ahead with only 23 on.
(informal, not-comparable) 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 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:
(not-comparable) Within the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs; the left side for a right-handed batsman.
Ponsonby-Smythe hit a thumping on drive.
The captain moved two fielders to the on side.
(not-comparable, postpositional) 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.
(not-comparable, qualifier:roleplaying games) Acting in character.
(informal, not-comparable, of a person) Performative or funny in a wearying manner.
He always has to be on, it's so exhausting.
(euphemistic, not-comparable) Menstruating.
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, →ISBN:
pt destinar (destined) · el ανοικτό (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · ast encendíu (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · fi päällä (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · fi -lla (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · de ein (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · fr parti (destined) · de angeschaltet (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · pt ligado (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · gl acendido (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · id terjadi (happening, take place) · sv för (destined) · hy միացրած (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · zza de (diq) (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · ru вкл. (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · de an (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · sv på (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · es encendido (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · de eingeschaltet (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · es conectado (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · pl włączony (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · gl prendido (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · fa فعال (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · sv igång (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · fi on-puolella (cricket: in, or towards the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs) · el periphrastically (destined) · ru вклю́ченный (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · it dentro (destined) · et sees (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · it acceso (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · id menyala (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · sk zapnuté (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · nl op (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · fr allumé (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · cs zapnuto (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · hu bekapcsolva (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · nl actief (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · nl aan (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · da på (destined) · sv på (destined) · is kveiktur (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · fi but see olla menoa (destined) · gd air (in the state of being active, functioning or operating) · fa روشن (in the state of being active, functioning or operating)
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 (“in; on”), Latvian no (“from; out of; for; of; with”), Lithuanian nuo (“from, off; for, of”), Belarusian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, and Ukrainian на (na, “on”), Czech, Polish, Slovak, and Slovene na (“on”), Serbo-Croatian на, na (“on”), Old Armenian ան- (an-, “at, on, unto”); and from Old Norse upp á: Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, and Swedish på (“on”), Norwegian Nynorsk paa, på (“on”), see upon.
Meanings
Indicating position or location. ▸ Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
Please lie down on the couch.
The parrot was sitting on Jim's shoulder.
I stood on the bridge at midnight. 1845, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Bridge:
A vase of flowers stood on the table.
We should go sailing on the lake together sometime.
Indicating position or location. ▸ Positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to.
The painting hangs on the wall.
There is a dirty smudge on this window.
He had a scar on the side of his face.
The fruit ripened on the trees.
Should there be an accent on the "e"?
Indicating position or location. ▸ Covering.
He wore old shoes on his feet.
Indicating position or location. ▸ At or in (a geographical location or position).
The suspect is thought to still be on the campus.
The lighthouse that you can see is on the mainland.
Indicating position or location. ▸ 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
Indicating position or location. ▸ Near; adjacent to; alongside; just off.
Croton-on-Hudson, Rostov-on-Don, Southend-on-Sea
The fleet is on the American coast.
Indicating position or location. ▸ 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
Indicating position or location. ▸ In the direction of (some part of one's vessel), to within 45 degrees.
on the bow; on the starboard beam
A ship was sighted on the port quarter.
Expressing figurative placement, burden, or attachment.
I put a bet on the winning horse.
All of the responsibility is on him.
Denoting physical contact or interaction with an object, such as impact or application of force. ▸ With verbs describing an action of pushing, pulling, pressing, etc., designates the thing to which force is applied.
tug on the rope; push hard on the door
Denoting physical contact or interaction with an object, such as impact or application of force. ▸ With verbs describing an action of hitting, rubbing, scratching, binding against, etc., designates the thing impacted or contacted.
The rope snagged on a branch.
I caught my fingernail on the door handle.
I stubbed my toe on an old tree stump.
Denoting physical contact or interaction with an object, such as impact or application of force. ▸ 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
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.
(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.
At (a certain position within a sequence).
I'm on question four.
At or during the date or day of.
Can I see you on a different day?
Born on the 4th of July.
On Sunday I'm busy. I'll see you on Monday.
(UK, especially, in sports reporting) 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, archived from the original on 03 Jan 2026:
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 [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC:
Dealing with the subject of; about; concerning.
I have no opinion on this subject.
The city hosted the World Summit on the Information Society
[...] 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, […], →OCLC, page 85:
I was reading a book on history.
Indicating a means or medium.
I saw it on television.
My favorite shows are on BBC America.
He travelled on false documents.
Can't you see I'm on the phone?
I'll pay on card.
The Beatles' appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show is on YouTube.
The film was released on DVD.
Indicating the target of, or thing affected by, an event or action.
The soldiers mutinied and turned their guns on their officers.
Her words made a lasting impression on my mind.
What will be the effect on morale?
They planned an attack on London.
(informal) In the possession of.
I haven't got any money on me.
Because of; upon the basis of (something not yet confirmed as true).
to arrest someone on suspicion of bribery
to contact someone on a hunch
(qualifier:also often ‘upon’) At the time of (and often because of).
A young woman, before marriage, hears only the myths of wedded bliss. Later, on discovering the truth, she conspires with other women to conceal it. 1988 February 14, Louise Rice, quoting Angela Bowen, “Confronting The Mythology Of Motherhood”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 30, page 7:
On the addition of ammonia, a chemical reaction begins.
On Jack's entry, William got up to leave.
(qualifier:also often ‘upon’) 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.
Paid for by.
The drinks are on me tonight, boys.
I paid for the airfare and meals for my family, but the hotel room was on the company.
The meal is on the house.
Toward; for; indicating the object of an emotion.
Have pity or compassion on him.
(Ireland, especially) Indicating the person experiencing an emotion, cold, thirst, hunger, etc.
I had a terrible thirst on me.
“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, →ISBN:
'[…] 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, →ISBN:
“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, →ISBN, page 18:
Indicating a means of subsistence or sustenance.
1950s, UK Egg Marketing Board advertising slogan.
Go to work on an egg.
The dog survived three weeks on rainwater.
They lived on ten dollars a week.
Engaged in or occupied with (an action or activity).
He's on his lunch break.
on vacation; on holiday; on a mission; on the job; on the fiddle
I'm on nights all this week.
Regularly taking (a drug).
You've been on these antidepressants far too long.
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.
In addition to; besides; indicating multiplication or succession in a series.
mischief on mischief; loss on loss
heaps on heaps of food
Indicating dependence or reliance.
I depended on them for assistance.
He will promise on certain conditions.
Serving as a member of.
He is on the jury; I am on the committee.
By virtue of; with the pledge of.
He affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honour.
(abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, in set phrases, informal) By virtue of; with the pledge of. ▸ Ellipsis of I swear on: on my life, on God, on everything, etc.
To the account or detriment of; denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon.
A curse on him!
He went all honest on me, making me listen to his confession.
His blood be on vs, and on our children. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 27:25:
Please don't tell on her and get her in trouble.
On us be all the blame.
He turned on her and has been her enemy ever since.
(qualifier:especially when numbers of combatants or competitors are specified) Against; in opposition to.
The fight was three on one, and he never stood a chance.
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, Gavin Ortlund, Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn't: The Beauty of Christian Theism, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, →ISBN:
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!
Having as identical domain and codomain.
a function on #92;mathbb#123;R#125;
Having Vⁿ as domain and V as codomain, for the specified set V and some integer n.
an operator on #92;mathbb#123;Z#125;
Generated by.
the free group on four letters
(Quebec) Divided by.
Twenty on three.
(dialectal, obsolete, regional) Of.
I never seen 'im, and that's the truth on it.
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, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
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, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
(obsolete) 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: [...] 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, →OCLC, page 415:
bqi سر (positioned at the upper surface of) · ia sur (positioned at the upper surface of) · it a (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · pro sobre (positioned at the upper surface of) · grc ἐν (at the date of) · fa روی (positioned at the upper surface of) · hu -en (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · es sobre (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · vi trên (positioned at the upper surface of) · hu -en (at the date of) · lij in sce (positioned at the upper surface of) · el σε (positioned at the upper surface of) · ps په (at the date of) · ja …に (at the date of) · cy ar (positioned at the upper surface of) · de an (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · ca sobre (dealing with the subject of) · zza naser (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · fr sur (positioned at the upper surface of) · ps پر (positioned at the upper surface of) · fi päällä (covering) · it su (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · pt no (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · cu на (positioned at the upper surface of) · ar عَلَى (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · kk үстінде (positioned at the upper surface of) · ckb لە سەر (positioned at the upper surface of) · es sobre (positioned at the upper surface of) · da på (positioned at the upper surface of) · ro deasupra (positioned at the upper surface of) · tg ба (positioned at the upper surface of) · la suprā (covering) · fi perusteella (because of, due to) · la in (at the date of) · fa در (used to indicate means or medium) · la supra (dealing with the subject of) · gd air (covering) · de über (dealing with the subject of) · sk na (paid for by) · ast sobre (positioned at the upper surface of) · it su (covering) · ru с (paid for by) · zza sera (positioned at the upper surface of) · ru на (positioned at the upper surface of) · ar فِي (dealing with the subject of) · he על פני (positioned at the upper surface of) · es tras ((also often 'upon') at the time of (and often because of)) · nl op (positioned at the upper surface of) · fr pour (because of, due to) · lo ເທິງ (positioned at the upper surface of) · fa سوار (positioned at the upper surface of) · la super (positioned at the upper surface of) · la in (used to indicate means or medium) · my မှာ (covering) · nv bąąh (positioned at the upper surface of) · got 𐌰𐌽𐌰 (positioned at the upper surface of) · he בתאריך (at the date of) · sh на (positioned at the upper surface of) · fi -lla (mathematics: having V as both domain and codomain) · hu -on (covering) · es al ((also often 'upon') at the time of (and often because of)) · hu -on (positioned at the upper surface of) · ia super (positioned at the upper surface of) · ky үстүнө (positioned at the upper surface of) · ur ... پر (positioned at the upper surface of) · fi -lla (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · ar عَلَى حِسَابِهِ (paid for by) · el periphrastically (paid for by) · grc ἐν (positioned at the upper surface of) · sl na (positioned at the upper surface of) · kpv вылын (positioned at the upper surface of) · bzj pahn (positioned at the upper surface of) · pt sobre (positioned at the upper surface of) · zza sero (positioned at the upper surface of) · es en (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · es en (used to indicate means or medium) · orv на (positioned at the upper surface of) · bg на (positioned at the upper surface of) · la super (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · fi takia (because of, due to) · br war (positioned at the upper surface of) · he תלוי על (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · my မှာ (at the date of) · fa در (dealing with the subject of) · el periphrastically (used to indicate means or medium) · ca sobre (positioned at the upper surface of) · nv bikááʼ (bɪkʰáːʔ) (positioned at the upper surface of) · ps په (dealing with the subject of) · fa روی (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · hy մասին (dealing with the subject of) · ka -ზე (positioned at the upper surface of) · pt na (dealing with the subject of) · sk na (covering) · ro de (at the date of) · fr au-dessus (covering) · lv uz (positioned at the upper surface of) · nl bij (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · pt no (at the date of) · it di (dealing with the subject of) · eo sur (covering) · cs o (dealing with the subject of) · ps باندې (positioned at the upper surface of) · nl op (at the date of) · de an (used to indicate means or medium) · is á (positioned at the upper surface of) · nb på (positioned at the upper surface of) · hu -n (at the date of) · gl sobre (positioned at the upper surface of) · gd mu (covering) · ba тураһында (positioned at the upper surface of) · fy by (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · he עַל (positioned at the upper surface of) · be на (positioned at the upper surface of) · ps په (paid for by) · pl na (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · eo je (at the date of) · fi -sta (because of, due to) · la supra (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · wa so (positioned at the upper surface of) · de über (covering) · chk won (positioned at the upper surface of) · ro despre (dealing with the subject of) · pt no (positioned at the upper surface of) · rgn adòs (positioned at the upper surface of) · fr à propos de (dealing with the subject of) · nap ngoppe (positioned at the upper surface of) · mn дээр (positioned at the upper surface of) · fy oan (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · la in (covering) · gl en (positioned at the upper surface of) · de bei (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · ar عَلَى (positioned at the upper surface of) · la in (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · ps په (because of, due to) · io sur (positioned at the upper surface of) · mt fuq (positioned at the upper surface of) · ru в (at the date of) · fi vuoksi (because of, due to) · ru за счёт (paid for by) · scn supra (positioned at the upper surface of) · es competer (Expressing figurative placement, burden, or attachment.) · pt na (at the date of) · fa روی (covering) · sv angående (dealing with the subject of) · it su (positioned at the upper surface of) · ky үстүндө (positioned at the upper surface of) · oc sobre (positioned at the upper surface of) · el πάνω (covering) · fa در (at the date of) · el articles (at the date of) · eo sur (positioned at the upper surface of) · liv pǟl (positioned at the upper surface of) · es recaer sobre (Expressing figurative placement, burden, or attachment.) · el πάνω (dealing with the subject of) · la in (positioned at the upper surface of) · sv upp å (positioned at the upper surface of) · ar عَلَى (covering) · fr avec (used to indicate means or medium) · hu -n (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · de auf (paid for by) · es en pos de ((also often 'upon') at the time of (and often because of)) · el periphrastically (because of, due to) · yi אויף (positioned at the upper surface of) · ru -го (at the date of) · dsb na (positioned at the upper surface of) · eo pri (dealing with the subject of) · sv på (positioned at the upper surface of) · kw war (positioned at the upper surface of) · it con (because of, due to) · bo སྒང་ལ (positioned at the upper surface of) · la ab (positioned at the upper surface of) · ms di atas (positioned at the upper surface of) · sl na (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · sk na (positioned at the upper surface of) · ja …の上に (positioned at the upper surface of) · scn sùpira (positioned at the upper surface of) · ms atas (positioned at the upper surface of) · tg бар (positioned at the upper surface of) · sl na (dealing with the subject of) · es en (positioned at the upper surface of) · tr üstünde (positioned at the upper surface of) · bo ལྡེབས་ལ (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · pt na (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · fr sur (dealing with the subject of) · fi yllä (covering) · de wegen (because of, due to) · gd air (positioned at the upper surface of) · fr au sujet de (dealing with the subject of) · fi -stä (dealing with the subject of) · lt ant (positioned at the upper surface of) · sh na (positioned at the upper surface of) · bn উপর (positioned at the upper surface of) · la a (positioned at the upper surface of) · my ၌ (positioned at the upper surface of) · pt na (positioned at the upper surface of) · el πάνω (positioned at the upper surface of) · nl aan (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · es sobre (covering) · sv under (at the date of) · it a (covering) · sv på (at the date of) · uz ustiga (positioned at the upper surface of) · sl na (covering) · sv på grund av (because of, due to) · ru на (covering) · dlm saupra (positioned at the upper surface of) · pl przy (mathematics: having V as both domain and codomain) · es sobre acerca de (dealing with the subject of) · ug ئۈستىدە (positioned at the upper surface of) · hy վրա (covering) · de in (used to indicate means or medium) · sq mbi (positioned at the upper surface of) · sv av (mathematics: having V as both domain and codomain) · th บน (positioned at the upper surface of) · ro pe (at the date of) · hu -en (positioned at the upper surface of) · sk pre (because of, due to) · pl na (positioned at the upper surface of) · sv på (covering) · la de (dealing with the subject of) · hi ... पर (positioned at the upper surface of) · gl encol de (positioned at the upper surface of) · it sopra (positioned at the upper surface of) · fr sur (covering) · fi -na (at the date of) · az üzərində (positioned at the upper surface of) · grc ἐπί (positioned at the upper surface of) · gl acerca de (dealing with the subject of) · he בנושא (dealing with the subject of) · sv om (dealing with the subject of) · pt no (dealing with the subject of) · eo sur (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · arz على (positioned at the upper surface of) · vo su (positioned at the upper surface of) · hy -ին (at the date of) · hy վրա (positioned at the upper surface of) · es bajo los efectos de (under the influence of) · cs dne (at the date of) · it a (used to indicate means or medium) · sk o (dealing with the subject of) · fi -lla (mathematics: having Vn as domain and V as codomain) · id di atas (positioned at the upper surface of) · sv å (positioned at the upper surface of) · sv ovanpå (positioned at the upper surface of) · hy վրա (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · sk na (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · hu -on (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · ko ...위에 (positioned at the upper surface of) · de aufgrund (because of, due to) · hu -on (at the date of) · gd air (dealing with the subject of) · la in (because of, due to) · fi -stä (because of, due to) · la in (mathematics: having Vn as domain and V as codomain) · de an (at the date of) · fi -sta (dealing with the subject of) · sv på (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · ms pada (at the date of) · fi päällä (positioned at the upper surface of) · wa dissu (positioned at the upper surface of) · hu -n (positioned at the upper surface of) · el πάνω (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · fr sur (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · it in (used to indicate means or medium) · fi johdosta (because of, due to) · he מכסה (covering) · sv är på (paid for by) · de auf (positioned at the upper surface of) · fa با (paid for by) · ps پورې (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · sv på (used to indicate means or medium) · no på (positioned at the upper surface of) · ps په (used to indicate means or medium) · id atas (positioned at the upper surface of) · gun áry (positioned at the upper surface of) · la super (covering) · bho ऊपर (positioned at the upper surface of) · grc περί (dealing with the subject of) · fi seurauksena (because of, due to) · ckb لەسەر (positioned at the upper surface of) · es en (covering) · mk на (positioned at the upper surface of) · az üstündə (positioned at the upper surface of) · my အပေါ် (positioned at the upper surface of) · my ၌ (covering) · mwl subre (positioned at the upper surface of) · nl over (covering) · tk üstünde (positioned at the upper surface of) · ro pe (positioned at the upper surface of) · fa بر (positioned at the upper surface of) · sv av (mathematics: having Vn as domain and V as codomain) · cs na (positioned at the upper surface of) · hy վերաբերյալ (dealing with the subject of) · fa اندر (dealing with the subject of) · it in (mathematics: having Vn as domain and V as codomain) · it in (mathematics: having V as both domain and codomain) · ps په (covering) · tg рӯи (positioned at the upper surface of) · it su (dealing with the subject of) · cs na (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · ga ar (positioned at the upper surface of) · cmn ……上 (positioned at the upper surface of) · nn på (positioned at the upper surface of) · ast sobre (dealing with the subject of) · pl na (mathematics: having Vn as domain and V as codomain) · sl na (at the date of) · lo ບົນ (positioned at the upper surface of) · km នៅលើ (positioned at the upper surface of) · la suprā (positioned at the upper surface of) · gl sobre (dealing with the subject of) · fr à propos de (because of, due to) · fr grâce à (used to indicate means or medium) · my ၌ (at the date of) · la in (mathematics: having V as both domain and codomain) · nl wegens (because of, due to) · he נוגע (positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to) · hu -en (covering) · mt fi (at the date of) · hu -n (covering) · my မှာ (positioned at the upper surface of) · pt em (covering) · sk dňa (at the date of) · pl na (covering) · kmr ser (positioned at the upper surface of) · uk на (positioned at the upper surface of) · pl o (dealing with the subject of) · nl over (dealing with the subject of) · la in (paid for by) · la super (dealing with the subject of) · ar فِي (at the date of) · gez ላዕለ (positioned at the upper surface of)
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 (“in; on”), Latvian no (“from; out of; for; of; with”), Lithuanian nuo (“from, off; for, of”), Belarusian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, and Ukrainian на (na, “on”), Czech, Polish, Slovak, and Slovene na (“on”), Serbo-Croatian на, na (“on”), Old Armenian ան- (an-, “at, on, unto”); and from Old Norse upp á: Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, and Swedish på (“on”), Norwegian Nynorsk paa, på (“on”), see upon.
Meanings
(not-comparable) To an operating state.
turn the television on
(not-comparable) So as to cover or be fitted.
The lid wasn't screwed on properly.
Put on your hat and gloves.
(not-comparable) Along, forwards (continuing an action), onwards.
From now on things are going to be different.
Drive on past the railway station.
rock on
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:
The policeman moved the tramp on.
(not-comparable) In continuation, at length.
He rambled on and on.
and so on
(not-comparable, qualifier:infrequent in the US) Later.
Ten years on, nothing had changed in the village.
(not-comparable) 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.
(not-comparable) Of a ball, into a pottable position.
The black was previously unavailable, but in potting that red, he's now pushed the black on.
Antonyms
off (antonym(s) of “to an operating state”) · off (antonym(s) of “active, functioning, operating”) · against
fr encore (continuing an action) · fi päälle (to an operating state) · nn på (to an operating state) · fi edelleen (continuing an action) · fi edelleen (along, forwards (continuing an action)) · el periphrastically (to an operating state) · de an (along, forwards (continuing an action)) · de weiter (continuing an action) · id pakai (to cover or be fitted) · el periphrastically (continuing an action) · id pasang (to cover or be fitted) · sv på (continuing an action) · nb på (to an operating state) · fr encore (along, forwards (continuing an action)) · fa روشن (to an operating state) · sv på (to an operating state) · de ein (to an operating state) · el periphrastically (along, forwards (continuing an action)) · sv vidare (along, forwards (continuing an action)) · sv vidare (continuing an action) · sk ďalej (continuing an action) · sk ďalej (along, forwards (continuing an action)) · de an (to an operating state) · nl aan (to an operating state) · it ancora (along, forwards (continuing an action))
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 (“in; on”), Latvian no (“from; out of; for; of; with”), Lithuanian nuo (“from, off; for, of”), Belarusian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, and Ukrainian на (na, “on”), Czech, Polish, Slovak, and Slovene na (“on”), Serbo-Croatian на, na (“on”), Old Armenian ան- (an-, “at, on, unto”); and from Old Norse upp á: Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, and Swedish på (“on”), Norwegian Nynorsk paa, på (“on”), see upon.
Meanings
(Malaysia, Nigeria, Philippines, Singapore, colloquial, transitive) To switch on.
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).
From Japanese 音読み (on'yomi, literally “sound reading”).
Meanings
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".