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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Draught \Draught\, n. [The same as draft, the spelling with gh
indicating an older pronunciation. See Draft, n., Draw.]
1. The act of drawing or pulling; as:
(a) The act of moving loads by drawing, as by beasts of
burden, and the like.
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A general custom of using oxen for all sort of
draught would be, perhaps, the greatest
improvement. --Sir W.
Temple.
(b) The drawing of a bowstring. [Obs.]
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She sent an arrow forth with mighty draught.
--Spenser.
(c) Act of drawing a net; a sweeping the water for fish.
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Upon the draught of a pond, not one fish was
left. --Sir M. Hale.
(d) The act of drawing liquor into the mouth and throat;
the act of drinking.
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In his hands he took the goblet, but a while the
draught forbore. --Trench.
(e) A sudden attack or drawing upon an enemy. [Obs.]
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By drawing sudden draughts upon the enemy when
he looketh not for you. --Spenser.
(f) (Mil.) The act of selecting or detaching soldiers; a
draft (see Draft, n., 2)
(g) The act of drawing up, marking out, or delineating;
representation. --Dryden.
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2. That which is drawn; as:
(a) That which is taken by sweeping with a net.
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Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets
for a draught. --Luke v. 4.
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He laid down his pipe, and cast his net, which
brought him a very great draught. --L'Estrange.
(b) (Mil.) The force drawn; a detachment; -- in this sense
usually written draft.
(c) The quantity drawn in at once in drinking; a potion or
potation.
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Disguise thyself as thou wilt, still, Slavery, .
. . still thou art a bitter draught. --Sterne.
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Low lies that house where nut-brown draughts
inspired. --Goldsmith.
(d) A sketch, outline, or representation, whether written,
designed, or drawn; a delineation.
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A draught of a Toleration Act was offered to the
Parliament by a private member. --Macaulay.
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No picture or draught of these things from the
report of the eye. --South.
(e) (Com.) An order for the payment of money; -- in this
sense almost always written draft.
(f) A current of air moving through an inclosed place, as
through a room or up a chimney. --Thackeray.
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He preferred to go and sit upon the stairs, in .
. . a strong draught of air, until he was again
sent for. --Dickens.
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3. That which draws; as:
(a) A team of oxen or horses. --Blackstone.
(b) A sink or drain; a privy. --Shak. --Matt. xv. 17.
(c) pl. (Med.) A mild vesicatory; a sinapism; as, to apply
draughts to the feet.
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4. Capacity of being drawn; force necessary to draw;
traction.
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The Hertfordshire wheel plow . . . is of the easiest
draught. --Mortimer.
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5. (Naut.) The depth of water necessary to float a ship, or
the depth a ship sinks in water, especially when laden;
as, a ship of twelve feet draught.
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6. (Com.) An allowance on weighable goods. [Eng.] See
Draft, 4.
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7. A move, as at chess or checkers. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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8. The bevel given to the pattern for a casting, in order
that it may be drawn from the sand without injury to the
mold.
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9. (Masonry) See Draft, n., 7.
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Angle of draught, the angle made with the plane over which
a body is drawn by the line in which the pulling force
acts, when the latter has the direction best adapted to
overcome the obstacles of friction and the weight of the
body.
Black draught. See under Black, a.
Blast draught, or Forced draught, the draught produced by
a blower, as by blowing in air beneath a fire or drawing
out the gases from above it.
Natural draught, the draught produced by the atmosphere
flowing, by its own weight, into a chimney wherein the air
is rarefied by heat.
On draught, so as to be drawn from the wood (as a cask,
barrel, etc.) in distinction from being bottled; as, ale
on draught.
Sheer draught. See under Sheer.
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