on ['ȯn, 'än] -prep
- used as a function word to indicate position in contact with and supported by the top surface of
- the book is lying on the table
- used as a function word to indicate position in or in contact with an outer surface
- the fly landed on the ceiling
- I have a cut on my finger
- used as a function word to indicate position in close proximity with
- used as a function word to indicate the location of something
- on the south side of the house
- used as a function word to indicate a source of attachment or support
- used as a function word to indicate a source of dependence
- used as a function word to indicate means of conveyance
- used as a function word to indicate presence in the possession of
- used as a function word to indicate a time frame during which something takes place or an instant, action, or occurrence when something begins or is done
- on arriving home, I found your letter
- of
- used as a function word to indicate manner of doing something often used with the
- keep everything on the up-and-up
- used as a function word to indicate means or agency
- used as a function word to indicate a medium of expression
- used as a function word to indicate active involvement in a condition or status
- regularly using or showing the effects of using
- used as a function word to indicate involvement or participation
- used as a function word to indicate inclusion
- used as a function word to indicate position or status in proper relationship with a standard or objective
- used as a function word to indicate reason, ground, or basis (as for an action, opinion, or computation)
- I have it on good authority
- the interest will be 10 cents on the dollar
- used as a function word to indicate the cause or source
- profited on the sale of stock
- used as a function word to indicate the focus of obligation or responsibility
- used as a function word to indicate the object of collision, opposition, or hostile action
- used as a function word to indicate the object with respect to some disadvantage, handicap, or detriment
- has three inches in height on me
- a 3-game lead on the second-place team
- used as a function word to indicate destination or the focus of some action, movement, or directed effort
- made a payment on the loan
- used as a function word to indicate the focus of feelings, determination, or will
- used as a function word to indicate the object with respect to some misfortune or disadvantageous event
- used as a function word to indicate the subject of study, discussion, or consideration
- with respect to
- used as a function word to indicate reduplication or succession in a series
- in or into a position of contact with an upper surface esp. so as to be positioned for use or operation
- in or into a position of being attached to or covering a surface
- in or into the condition of being worn
- forward or at a more advanced point in space or time
- in continuance or succession
- into operation or a position permitting operation
- engaged in an activity or function (as a dramatic role)
- being in operation
- placed so as to permit operation
- taking place or being broadcast
- aware of something usu. used with to
- intended, planned
- has nothing on for tonight
- talking or harping incessantly used with about
- regarded as possible or feasible usu. used in negative constructions
- engaged in or as if in a performance
- the comedian was always on
- being at a high level of performance
ON -abbr
- Ontario
onagain, offagain -adj
- existing briefly and in an intermittent unpredictable way
on·a·ger ['ä-ni-jər] -n
- an Asian wild ass ( Equus hemionus onagersyn. E. onager) that usu. has a broad dorsal stripe and is related to the kiang
- a heavy catapult used in ancient and medieval times
on and off -adv, adj
- off and on
onan·ism ['ō-nə-,ni-zəm] -n, adj
- masturbation
- coitus interruptus
- self-gratification
on·board ['ȯn-'bȯrd, 'än-] -adj
- carried within or occurring aboard a vehicle (as a satellite or an automobile)
once ['wən(t)s] -adv
- one time and no more
- at any one time : under any circumstances : ever
- at some indefinite time in the past : formerly
- was once a booming mining town
- by one degree of relationship
- first cousin once removed
- one single time : one time at least
- please be on time this once
- that once was : former
- at the moment when : as soon as
- once she spoke, I recognized her
onceover [,wən(t)s-'ō-vər, 'wən(t)s-,] -n
- a swift examination or survey
- a swift comprehensive appraising glance
once that -conj
- once
on·cho·cer·ci·a·sis [,äŋ-kō-,sər-'kī-ə-səs] -n
- infestation with or disease caused by filarial worms (genus Onchocerca)
- a human disease marked by subcutaneous nodules, dermatitis, and visual impairment and caused by a worm ( O. volvulus) found in Africa and tropical America which is transmitted by the bite of a female blackfly called also river blindness
on·cid·i·um [än-'si-dē-əm, äŋ-'ki-] -n
- any of a genus ( Oncidium) of showy tropical American chiefly epiphytic orchids
onco- -comb form
- tumor
on·co·gene ['äŋ-kō-,jēn] -n
- a gene having the potential to cause a normal cell to become cancerous
on·co·gen·e·sis [,äŋ-kō-'je-nə-səs] -n
- the induction or formation of tumors
on·co·gen·ic [-'je-nik] -adj, n
- relating to tumor formation
- tending to cause tumors
on·col·o·gy [än-'kä-lə-jē, äŋ-] -n, adj
- the study of tumors
on·com·ing ['ȯn-,kə-miŋ, 'än-] -adj
- coming nearer in time or space
- future
- looked forward to his oncoming visit
- emergent, rising
one ['wən] -adj
- being a single unit or thing
- being one in particular
- being preeminently what is indicated
- being the same in kind or quality
- constituting a unified entity of two or more components
- the combined elements form one substance
- being in agreement or union
- some
- will see you again one day
- being a certain individual specified by name
- one John Doe made a speech
- only
- the one person she wanted to marry
- the number denoting unity
- the first in a set or series often used with an attributive noun
- an article of clothing of a size designated one
- a single person or thing
- has the one but needs the other
- a one-dollar bill
- a certain indefinitely indicated person or thing
- an individual of a vaguely indicated group : anyone at all
- used as a third person substitute for a first person pronoun
- I'd like to read more but one doesn't have the time
- a single instance of a specified action
- felt like belting him one -- John Casey
one another -pron
- each other
onearmed bandit ['wən-'ärm(d)-] -n
- slot machine
onebag·ger [-'ba-gər] -n
- single
onedimensional -adj, n
- having one dimension
- lacking depth : superficial
- onedimensional characters
one·fold ['wən-,fōld, -'fōld] -adj
- constituting a single undivided whole
onehand·ed [-'han-dəd] -adj
- having or using only one hand
- could beat him up onehanded
- designed for or requiring the use of only one hand
- effected by the use of only one hand
onehorse [-'hȯrs] -adj
- drawn or operated by one horse
- small, small-time
Onei·da [ō-'nī-də] -n
- a member of an American Indian people orig. of New York
- the Iroquoian language of the Oneida people
onei·ric [ō-'nī-rik] -adj, adv
- of or relating to dreams : dreamy
onei·ro·man·cy [ō-'nī-rə-,man(t)-sē] -n
- divination by means of dreams
onelin·er [,wən-'lī-nər] -n
- a very succinct joke or witticism
- a succinct or meaningful and esp. accurate statement
oneman -adj
- : of or relating to just one individual: as
- consisting of only one individual
- done, presented, or produced by only one individual
- featuring the work of a single artist (as a painter)
- designed for or limited to one individual
oneman band -n
- a musician who plays several instruments during a solo performance
- a person who alone undertakes or is responsible for several tasks
one·ness ['wən-nəs] -n
- : the quality or state or fact of being one: as
- singleness
- integrity, wholeness
- harmony
- sameness, identity
- unity, union
onenight·er [,wən-'nī-tər] -n
- one-night stand
onenight stand -n
- a performance (as of a play or concert) given (as by a traveling group of actors or musicians) only once in each of a series of localities
- a locality used for one-night stands
- a stopover for a one-night stand
- a sexual encounter limited to a single occasion
- a partner in such an encounter
onenote ['wən-'nōt] -adj
- unvarying in tone or emphasis : monotonous
oneoff [,wən-'ȯf] -adj, n
- limited to a single time, occasion, or instance : one-shot
- singular, unique
oneonone [,wən-ȯn-'wən, ,wən-än-] -adj or adv
- playing directly against a single opposing player
- involving a direct encounter between one person and another
onepiece ['wən-'pē-sər] -adj, n
- consisting of or made in a single undivided piece
oner·ous ['ä-nə-rəs, 'ō-] -adj, adv, n
- involving, imposing, or constituting a burden : troublesome
- having legal obligations that outweigh the advantages
one·self [(,)wən-'self, Southern also -'sef] -pron
- a person's self : one's own self used reflexively as object of a preposition or verb or for emphasis in various constructions
- one's normal, healthy, or sane condition or self
oneshot ['wən-,shät] -adj, n
- that is complete or effective through being done or used or applied only once
- there is no easy oneshot answer to the problem
- that is not followed by something else of the same kind
onesid·ed ['wən-'sī-dəd] -adj, adv, n
- having one side prominent : lopsided
- having or occurring on one side only
- limited to one side : partial
- a onesided interpretation
- unilateral
ones place -n
- units place
onestep ['wən-,step] -n, vi
- a ballroom dance in time marked by quick walking steps backward and forward
- music used for the one-step
onestop [-'stäp] -adj
- providing or offering a comprehensive range of goods or services at one location
- provided or offered at such a location
onetailed ['wən-'tāl(d)] -adj
- being a statistical test for which the critical region consists of all values of the test statistic greater than a given value or less than a given value but not both
one·time ['wən-'tīm] -adj
- former, sometime
- occurring only once : one-shot
onetime -adv
- formerly
onetoone [,wən-tə-'wən, -də-] -adj
- pairing each element of a set uniquely with an element of another set
- one-on-one
onetrack -adj
- marked by often narrowly restricted attention to or absorption in just one thing
onetrick pony -n
- one that is skilled in only one area
- one that has success only once
onetwo ['wən-'tü, -,tü] -n
- a combination of two quick blows in rapid succession in boxing
- a left jab followed at once by a hard blow with the right hand
- two forces combining to produce a marked effect
oneup [,wən-'əp, 'wən-] -vt
- to practice one-upmanship on
one up -adj
- being in a position of advantage usu. used with on
oneup·man·ship [,wən-'əp-mən-,ship] -n
- the art or practice of outdoing or keeping one jump ahead of a friend or competitor
- engaged in a round of verbal oneupmanship
oneway -adj
- that moves in or allows movement in only one direction
- one-sided, unilateral
- that functions in only one of two or more ways
on·go·ing ['ȯn-,gō-iŋ, 'än-, -,gȯ(-)iŋ] -adj, n
- being actually in process
- continuing
- continuously moving forward : growing
on·ion ['ən-yən] -n, adj
- a widely cultivated Asian herb ( Allium cepa) of the lily family with pungent edible bulbs
- its bulb
- any of various plants of the same genus as the onion
onion dome -n, adj
- a dome (as of a church) having the general shape of an onion
onion ring -n
- a ring of sliced onion coated with batter or crumbs and fried
on·ion·skin [-,skin] -n
- a thin strong translucent paper of very light weight
oni·um ['ō-nē-əm] -adj
- being or characterized by a usu. complex cation
on·line ['ȯn-'līn, 'än-'līn] -adj, adv
- connected to, served by, or available through a system and esp. a computer or telecommunications system (as the Internet)
- done while connected to such a system
on·look·er ['ȯn-,lu̇-kər, 'än-] -n, adj
- one that looks on
- a passive spectator
on·ly ['ōn-lē] -adj
- unquestionably the best : peerless
- alone in a class or category : sole
- having no brother or sister
- few
- one of the only areas not yet explored
only -adv
- as a single fact or instance and nothing more or different : merely
- has only lost one election -- George Orwell
- solely, exclusively
- at the very least
- in the final outcome
- with nevertheless the final result
- won the battles, only to lose the war
- as recently as : not before
- only in the last year did she get recognition
- in the immediate past
- with the restriction that : but
- you may go, only come back early
- and yet : however
- they look very nice, only we can't use them
- were it not that : except
- I'd introduce you to her, only you'd win her -- Jack London
ono ['ō-(,)nō] -n
- wahoo
on·o·mas·tic [,ä-nə-'mas-tik] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or consisting of a name or names
on·o·mas·tics [-tiks] -n pl but sing or pl in constr, n
- the science or study of the origins and forms of words esp. as used in a specialized field
- the science or study of the origin and forms of proper names of persons or places
- the system underlying the formation and use of words esp. for proper names or of words used in a specialized field
on·o·ma·tol·o·gy [,ä-nə-mə-'tä-lə-jē] -n
- onomastics
on·o·mato·poe·ia [,ä-nə-,mä-tə-'pē-ə, -,ma-] -n, adj, adv
- the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (as buzz, hiss)
- the use of words whose sound suggests the sense
On·on·da·ga [,ä-nə(n)-'dȯ-gə, -'dā-, -'dä-] -n
- a member of an American Indian people of New York and Canada
- the Iroquoian language of the Onondaga people
onramp ['ȯn-,ramp, 'än-] -n
- a ramp by which one enters a limited-access highway
on·rush [-,rəsh] -n, adj
- a rushing forward or onward
- onset
onscreen ['ȯn-'skrēn, 'än-] -adv or adj
- in a motion picture or a television program
- on a computer or television screen
on·set [-,set] -n
- attack, assault
- withstand the onset of the army
- beginning, commencement
on·shore ['ȯn-,shȯr, 'än-] -adj, adv
- coming or moving from the water toward or onto the shore
- situated on or near the shore as distinguished from being in deep or open water
- situated on land
- domestic
on·side [-'sīd] -adv or adj
- not offside : in a position legally to play or receive the ball or puck
onside kick -n
- a kickoff in football in which the ball travels just far enough to be legally recoverable by the kicking team
onsite [-'sīt] -adv or adj
- at a particular place esp. of business
on·slaught ['än-,slȯt, 'ȯn-] -n
- an esp. fierce attack
- something resembling such an attack
- an onslaught of technological changes
on·stage ['ȯn-'stāj, 'än-, -,stāj] -adv or adj
- on or onto a stage : on a part of the stage visible to the audience
on·stream ['ȯn-'strēm, 'än-] -adv or adj
- in or into production
- plants scheduled to come onstream
ont- -comb form
- being : existence
- organism
ontar·get ['än-'tär-gət] -adj
- exactly appropriate : accurate
onthejob -adj
- of, relating to, or being something (as training or experience) learned, gained, or done while working at a job
on·tic ['än-tik] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or having real being
on·to ['ȯn-(,)tü, 'än-] -prep
- to a position on
- in or into a state of awareness about
- used as a function word to indicate a set each element of which is the image of at least one element of another set
- a function mapping the set S onto the set T
onto -adj
- mapping elements in such a way that every element in one set is the image of at least one element in another set
- a function that is one-to-one and onto
on·to·gen·e·sis [,än-tə-'je-nə-səs] -n
- ontogeny
on·to·ge·net·ic [-jə-'ne-tik] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or appearing in the course of ontogeny
- based on visible morphological characters
on·tog·e·ny [än-'tä-jə-nē] -n
- the development or course of development esp. of an individual organism
on·to·log·i·cal [,än-tə-'lä-ji-kəl] -adj, adv
- of or relating to ontology
- relating to or based upon being or existence
ontological argument -n
- an argument for the existence of God based upon the meaning of the term God
on·tol·o·gy [än-'tä-lə-jē] -n
- a branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature and relations of being
- a particular theory about the nature of being or the kinds of things that have existence
onus ['ō-nəs] -n
- burden
- a disagreeable necessity : obligation
- blame
- stigma
- burden of proof
on·ward ['ȯn-wərd, 'än-] -adv
- toward or at a point lying ahead in space or time : forward
onward -adj
- directed or moving onward : forward
on·y·choph·o·ran [,ä-ni-'kä-fə-rən] -n, adj
- peripatus
on·yx ['ä-niks] -n
- a translucent chalcedony in parallel layers of different colors