ON

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does on mean? 

• ON (adjective)
  The adjective ON has 2 senses:

1. in operation or operational

2. (of events) planned or scheduled

  Familiarity information: ON used as an adjective is rare.

• ON (adverb)
  The adverb ON has 3 senses:

1. with a forward motion

2. indicates continuity or persistence or concentration

3. in a state required for something to function or be effective

  Familiarity information: ON used as an adverb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ON (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In operation or operational

Context example:

the switch is in the on position

Similar:

connected (plugged in)

Antonym:

off (not in operation or operational)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(of events) planned or scheduled

Context example:

we have nothing on for Friday night

Antonym:

off ((of events) no longer planned or scheduled)

• ON (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

With a forward motion

Synonyms:

along; on

Context example:

march on

Sense 2

Meaning:

Indicates continuity or persistence or concentration

Context example:

shall I read on?

Sense 3

Meaning:

In a state required for something to function or be effective

Context example:

get a load on

 Context examples 

When a woman thinks that her house is on fire, her instinct is at once to rush to the thing which she values most.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Lady Russell was most anxiously zealous on the subject, and gave it much serious consideration.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

The gene for c-ABL is on chromosome 9.

(ABL1 wt Allele, NCI Dictionary)

With a snarl that was part bark and more scream he was again on his feet and launched into the air.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Surgery performed on any part of the abdominal region of the body.

(Abdominal Surgical Procedure, NCI Thesaurus)

Then his finger tightened on the trigger.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The European Space Agency's (ESA) spacecraft will become the first to orbit a comet and land a probe on its nucleus.

(Rosetta closing in on comet, NASA)

On a sudden Jorindel found himself free.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

With Bewick on my knee, I was then happy: happy at least in my way.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

“For being quite alone and dependent on myself in this rough world again, yes, I fear he did indeed,” sobbed my mother.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)