On \On\ ([o^]n), prep. [OE. on, an, o, a, AS. on, an; akin to D.
aan, OS. & G. an, OHG. ana, Icel. [=a], Sw. [*a], Goth. ana,
Russ. na, L. an-, in anhelare to pant, Gr. 'ana`, Zend ana.
[root]195. Cf. A-, 1, Ana-, Anon.]
The general signification of on is situation, motion, or
condition with respect to contact or support beneath; as:
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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.
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I stood on the bridge at midnight. --Longfellow.
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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.
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Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken.
--Matt. xxi.
44.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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7. At or in the time of; during; as, on Sunday we abstain
from labor. See At (synonym).
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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.
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9. Toward; for; -- indicating the object of some passion; as,
have pity or compassion on him.
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10. At the peril of, or for the safety of. "Hence, on thy
life." --Dryden.
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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.
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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.
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His blood be on us and on our children. --Matt.
xxvii. 25.
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13. In reference or relation to; as, on our part expect
punctuality; a satire on society.
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14. Of. [Obs.] "Be not jealous on me." --Shak.
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Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner? --Shak.
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Note: Instances of this usage are common in our older
writers, and are sometimes now heard in illiterate
speech.
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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.
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16. In the service of; connected with; a member of; as, he is
on a newspaper; on a committee.
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Note: 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.
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17. In reference to; about; concerning; as, to think on it;
to meditate on it.
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On a bowline. (Naut.) Same as Closehauled.
On a wind, or On the wind (Naut.), sailing closehauled.
On a sudden. See under Sudden.
On board, On draught, On fire, etc. See under Board,
Draught, Fire, etc.
On it, On't, of it. [Obs. or Colloq.] --Shak.
On shore, on land; to the shore.
On the road, On the way, On the wing, etc. See under
Road, Way, etc.
On to, upon; on; to; -- sometimes written as one word,
onto, and usually called a colloquialism; but it may be
regarded in analogy with into.
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They have added the -en plural form on to an elder
plural. --Earle.
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We see the strength of the new movement in the new
class of ecclesiastics whom it forced on to the
stage. --J. R. Green.
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Board \Board\ (b[=o]rd), n. [OE. bord, AS. bord board,
shipboard; akin to bred plank, Icel. bor[eth] board, side of
a ship, Goth. f[=o]tu-baurd footstool, D. bord board, G.
brett, bort. See def. 8. [root]92.]
1. A piece of timber sawed thin, and of considerable length
and breadth as compared with the thickness, -- used for
building, etc.
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Note: When sawed thick, as over one and a half or two inches,
it is usually called a plank.
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2. A table to put food upon.
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Note: The term board answers to the modern table, but it was
often movable, and placed on trestles. --Halliwell.
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Fruit of all kinds . . .
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unsparing hand. --Milton.
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3. Hence: What is served on a table as food; stated meals;
provision; entertainment; -- usually as furnished for pay;
as, to work for one's board; the price of board.
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4. A table at which a council or court is held. Hence: A
council, convened for business, or any authorized assembly
or meeting, public or private; a number of persons
appointed or elected to sit in council for the management
or direction of some public or private business or trust;
as, the Board of Admiralty; a board of trade; a board of
directors, trustees, commissioners, etc.
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Both better acquainted with affairs than any other
who sat then at that board. --Clarendon.
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We may judge from their letters to the board.
--Porteus.
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5. A square or oblong piece of thin wood or other material
used for some special purpose, as, a molding board; a
board or surface painted or arranged for a game; as, a
chessboard; a backgammon board.
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6. Paper made thick and stiff like a board, for book covers,
etc.; pasteboard; as, to bind a book in boards.
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7. pl. The stage in a theater; as, to go upon the boards, to
enter upon the theatrical profession.
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8. [In this use originally perh. a different word meaning
border, margin; cf. D. boord, G. bord, shipboard, and G.
borte trimming; also F. bord (fr. G.) the side of a ship.
Cf. Border.] The border or side of anything. (Naut.)
(a) The side of a ship. "Now board to board the rival
vessels row." --Dryden. See On board, below.
(b) The stretch which a ship makes in one tack.
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Note: Board is much used adjectively or as the last part of a
compound; as, fir board, clapboard, floor board,
shipboard, sideboard, ironing board, chessboard,
cardboard, pasteboard, seaboard; board measure.
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The American Board, a shortened form of "The American Board
of Commissioners for Foreign Missions" (the foreign
missionary society of the American Congregational
churches).
Bed and board. See under Bed.
Board and board (Naut.), side by side.
Board of control, six privy councilors formerly appointed
to superintend the affairs of the British East Indies.
--Stormonth.
Board rule, a figured scale for finding without calculation
the number of square feet in a board. --Haldeman.
Board of trade, in England, a committee of the privy
council appointed to superintend matters relating to
trade. In the United States, a body of men appointed for
the advancement and protection of their business
interests; a chamber of commerce.
Board wages.
(a) Food and lodging supplied as compensation for
services; as, to work hard, and get only board wages.
(b) Money wages which are barely sufficient to buy food
and lodging.
(c) A separate or special allowance of wages for the
procurement of food, or food and lodging. --Dryden.
By the board, over the board, or side. "The mast went by
the board." --Totten. Hence (Fig.),
To go by the board, to suffer complete destruction or
overthrow.
To enter on the boards, to have one's name inscribed on a
board or tablet in a college as a student. [Cambridge,
England.] "Having been entered on the boards of Trinity
college." --Hallam.
To make a good board (Naut.), to sail in a straight line
when close-hauled; to lose little to leeward.
To make short boards, to tack frequently.
On board.
(a) On shipboard; in a ship or a boat; on board of; as, I
came on board early; to be on board ship.
(b) In or into a railway car or train. [Colloq. U. S.]
Returning board, a board empowered to canvass and make an
official statement of the votes cast at an election.
[U.S.]
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