ON, pre. [Latin in; Gr. Hence they denote nearness, closeness or contiguity, and from meeting the Latin in and the English un have their power of negation or opposing.]
1. Being in contact with the surface or upper part of a thing and supported by it; placed or lying in contact with the surface; as, my book is on the table; the table stands on the floor; the house rests on its foundation; we lie on a bed, or stand on the earth.
2. Coming or falling to the surface of any thing; as, rain falls on the earth.
Whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken.
Matthew 21:7.
3. Performing or acting by contact with the surface, upper part or outside of anything; as, to play on a harp, a violin, or a drum.
4. Noting addition; as heaps on heaps; mischief on mischief; loss on loss.
5. At or near. When we say, a vessel is on shore, we mean that she is aground; but when we say, a fleet on a ship is on the American coast, or an isle is situated on the coast of England, we mean only that it is near the coast. So we say, on each side stands an armed man, that is, at or near each side.
So we say, Philadelphia is situated on the Delaware; Middlebury is on the Otter Creek; Guilford stands on the Sound; that is, near the river or Sound, instead of on the bank, side or shore.
6. It denotes resting for support; as, to depend on to rely on; hence, the ground of any thing; as, he will covenant on certain considerations or conditions; the considerations being the support of the covenant.
7. At or in the time of; as, on the sabbath we abstain from labor. We usually say, at the hour, on or in the day, in or on the week, month or year.
8. At the time of, with some reference to cause or motive. on public occasions, the officers appear in full dress or uniform.
9. It is put before the object of some passion, with the sense of towards or for. Have pity or compassion on him.
10. At the peril of, or for the safety of. Hence, on thy life.
11. Denoting a pledge or engagement, or put before the thing pledged. He affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honor.
12. Noting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling or resting on on us be all the blame.
His blood be on us, and on our children. Matthew 27:19.
13. In consequence of, or immediately after. on the ratification of the treaty, the armies were disbanded.
14. Noting part, distinction or opposition; as on one side and on the other. on our part, expect punctuality.
ON the way, on the road, denote proceeding, traveling, journeying, or making progress.
ON the alert, in a state of vigilance or activity.
ON high, in an elevated place; sublimely.
ON fire, in a state of burning or inflammation, and metaphorically, in a rage or passion.
ON a sudden, suddenly.
ON the wing, in flight; flying; metaphorically, departing.
ON it, on't, is used for of it. I heard nothing on't. the gamester has a poor trade on't. [This use is now vulgar.]
Upon is used in the same sense with on often with elegance, and frequently without necessity or advantage.
ON, adverb
1. Forward, in progression; as, move on; go on
2. Forward, in succession. From father to son, from the son to the grandson, and so on
3. In continuance; without interruption or ceasing; as, sleep on take your ease; say on; sing on; write on
4. Adhering; not off; as in the phrase, 'he is neither on nor off, ' that is, he is not steady; he is irresolute.
5. Attached to the body; as, his clothes are not on
To put on to attach to the body, as clothes or arms.
ON, when it expresses contact with the surface of a thing, is opposed to under, off, or within, and when it expresses contact with the side of a thing, is opposed to off.
ON is sometimes used as an exclamation, or rather as a command to move or proceed, some verb being understood; as, cheerily on courageous friends; that is, go on move on
ON'AGER, noun [Latin] The wild ass.
O'NANISM, noun [from Onan, in Scripture.] The crime of self-pollution.
ONCE, adverb wuns. [from one.]
1. One time.
Trees that bear mast are fruitful but once in two years.
2. One time, though no more. The mind once tainted with vice is prone to grow worse and worse.
3. At one former time; formerly.
My soul had once some foolish fondness for thee, but hence 'tis gone.
4. At the same point of time; not gradually.
At once the winds arise, the thunders roll.
At once at the same time; as, they all moved at once; hence, when it refers to two or more, the sense is together, as one.
This hath all its force at once on the first impression.
ONCE is used as a noun, when preceded by this or that; as this once that once
ONCE, noun ons. A quadruped of the genus Felis, less than the panther, of a whitish gray color. It is found in Africa and Asia, is easily tamed and is employed like a dog in hunting.
ONE, adjective wun. [Latin unus; Gr.]
1. Single in number; individual; as one man; one book. There is one sun only in our system of planets.
2. Indefinitely, some or any. You will one day repent of your folly. But in this phrase, one day is equivalent to some future time.
3. It follows any.
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom. Matthew 13:19.
4. Different; diverse; opposed to another. It is one thing to promise, and another to fulfill.
5. It is used with another, to denote mutuality or reciprocation. Be kind and assist one another.
6. It is used with another, to denote average or mean proportion. The coins one with another, weigh seven penny weight each.
7. one of two; opposed to other.
Ask from one side of heaven to the other. Deuteronomy 4:4.
8. Single by union; undivided; the same.
The church is therefore one though the members may be many.
9. Single in kind; the same.
ONE plague was on you all and on your lords. 1 Samuel 4:1.
1. one day, on a certain or particular day, referring to time past.
ONE day when Phoebe fair with all her band was following the chase.
2. Referring to future time; at a future time, indefinitely. [See one No. 2.]
At one in union; in agreement or concord.
The king resolved to keep Ferdinand and Philip at one with themselves.
In one in union; in one united body.
ONE, like many other adjectives is used without a noun, and is to be considered as a substitute for some noun understood. Let the men depart one by one; count them one by one; every one has his peculiar habits; we learn of one another, that is, we learn, one of us learns of another.
In this use, as a substitute, one may be plural; as the great ones of the earth; they came with their little ones.
It also denotes union, a united body.
Ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:10.
ONE o'clock, one hour of the clock that is, as signified or represented by the clock.
ONE is used indefinitely for any person; as, one sees; one knows; after the French manner, on voit. Our ancestors used man in this manner; man sees; man knows; 'man brohte, ' man brought, that is, they brought.
This word we have received from the Latin through the Italian and French. The same word from our Saxon ancestors we write an.
ONEIROCRIT'IC, noun [Gr. a dream, and discerning.]
An interpreter of dreams; one who judges what is signified by dreams.
ONEIROCRIT'IC, noun The art of interpreting dreams.
ONEIROCRIT'ICAL,
ONEIROM'ANCY, noun [Gr. a dream, and divination.] Divination by dreams.
ONEMENT, noun wun'ment. State of being one. [Not in use.]
ONENESS, noun wun'ness. [from one.] Singleness in number; individuality; unity; the quality of being one.
Our God is one, or rather very oneness
ON'ERARY, adjective [Latin onerarius, from onus, a load; onero, to load.]
Fitted or intended for the carriage of burdens; comprising a burden.
ON'ERATE, verb transitive [Latin onero, from onus, a burden.] To load; to burden.
ONERA'TION, noun The act of loading.
ON'EROUS, adjective [Latin onerosus, from onus, a load.
1. Burdensome; oppressive.
2. In Scots law, being for the advantage of both parties; as an onerous contract; opposed to gratuitous.
ONION, noun un'yun.
A plant of the genus Allium; and particularly, its bulbous root, much used as an article of food.
ONIROCRIT'IC, adjective Having the power of interpreting dreams or pretending to judge of future events signified by dreams.
My oneirocritical correspondent.
ONKOT'OMY, noun [Gr. tumor, and to cut.]
In surgery, the opening of a tumor or abscess.
ONLY, adjective
1. Single; one along; as, John was the only man present.
2. This and no other. This is an only child.
3. This above all others. He is the only man for music.
ONLY, adverb
1. Singly; merely; barely; in one manner or for one purpose along.
I purpose my thoughts only as conjectures.
And to be loved himself, needs only to be known.
2. This and no other wise.
Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5.
3. Singly; without more; as only-begotten.
ON'OMANCY, noun [Gr. name, and divination.] Divination by the letters of a name.
Destinies were superstitiously, by onomancy deciphered out of names.
ONOMAN'TIC,
ONOMAN'TICAL, adjective Predicting by names, or the letters composing names.
ONOMAN'TICAL, a. Predicting by names, or the letters composing names.
ON'OMATOPE,
ON'OMATOPY, noun [Gr. name, and to make.]
1. In grammar and rhetoric, a figure in which words are formed to resemble the sound made by the thing signified; as, to buzz, as bees; to crackle, as burning thorns or brush.
2. A word whose sound corresponds to the sound of the thing signified.
ON'OMATOPY, n. [Gr. name, and to make.]
1. In grammar and rhetoric, a figure in which words are formed to resemble the sound made by the thing signified; as, to buzz, as bees; to crackle, as burning thorns or brush.2. A word whose sound corresponds to the sound of the thing signified.ON'SET, noun [on and set.]
1. A rushing or setting upon; a violent attack; assault; a storming; appropriately, the assault of an army or body of troops upon an enemy or a fort.
The shout of battle now began and rushing sound of onset
2. An attack of any kind; as the impetuous onset of grief.
ON'SET, verb transitive To assault; to begin. [Not used.]
ONSLAUGHT, noun on'slaut. [on and slay.] Attack; storm; onset. [Not used.]
ONTOLOG'IC
ONTOLOG'ICAL, adjective [See Ontology.] Pertaining to the science of being in general and its affections.
ONTOLOG'ICAL, a. [See Ontology.] Pertaining to the science of being in general and its affections.
ONTOL'OGIST, noun One who treats of or considers the nature and qualities of being in general.
ONTOL'OGY, noun [Gr. from and discourse.]
That part of the science of metaphysics which investigates and explains the nature and essence of all beings, their qualities and attributes.
ON'WARD, adverb [Latin versus.]
1. Toward the point before or in front; forward; progressively; in advance; as, to move onward
Not one looks backward, onward still he goes.
2. In a state of advanced progression.
3. A little further or forward.
ON'WARD, adjective
1. Advanced or advancing; as an onward course.
2. Increased; improved.
3. Conducting; leading forward to perfection.
ON'YCHA, noun [from Gr.] Supposed to be the odoriferous shell of the onyxfish, or the onyx. Exodus 30:34.
ON'YX, noun [Gr. a nail. Latin onyx ] A semi-pellucid gem with variously colored zones or veins, a variety of chalcedony.