1. [adv]  with a forward motion; "we drove along admiring the view"; "the horse trotted along at a steady pace"; "the circus traveled on to the next city"; "move along"; "march on"
2. [adv]  indicates continuity or persistence or concentration; "his spirit lives on"; "shall I read on?"
3. [adv]  in a state required for something to function or be effective; "turn the lights on"; "get a load on" is slang for"drink enough to become intoxicated"
4. [adj]  in operation or operational; "left the oven on"; "the switch is in the on position"
5. [adj]  (of events) planned or scheduled; "the picnic is on, rain or shine"; "we have nothing on for Friday night"

1. \On\, 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:
   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.
            I stood on the bridge at midnight.    --Longfellow.
   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.
            Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken.
                                                  --Matt. xxi.
                                                  44.
   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.
   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.
   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.
   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.
   7. At or in the time of; during; as, on Sunday we abstain
      from labor. See {At} (synonym).
   8. At the time of, conveying some notion of cause or motive;
      as, on public occasions, the officers appear in full dress
      or uniform. Hence, in consequence of, or following; as, on
      the ratification of the treaty, the armies were disbanded.
   9. Toward; for; -- indicating the object of some passion; as,
      have pity or compassion on him.
   10. At the peril of, or for the safety of. ``Hence, on thy
       life.'' --Dryden.
   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.
   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.
             His blood be on us and on our children. --Matt.
                                                  xxvii. 25.
   13. In reference or relation to; as, on our part expect
       punctuality; a satire on society.
   14. Of. [Obs.] ``Be not jealous on me.'' --Shak.
             Or have we eaten on the insane root That takes the
             reason prisoner?                     --Shak.
   Note: Instances of this usage are common in our older
         writers, and are sometimes now heard in illiterate
         speech.
   15. Occupied with; in the performance of; as, only three
       officers are on duty; on a journey.
   16. In the service of; connected with; of the number of; as,
       he is on a newspaper; on a committee.
   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.
   {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.
            They have added the -en plural form on to an elder
            plural.                               --Earle.
            We see the strength of the new movement in the new
            class of ecclesiastics whom it forced on to the
            stage.                                --J. R. Green.
   

2. \On\, adv. [See {On}, prep.]
   1. Forward, in progression; onward; -- usually with a verb of
      motion; as, move on; go on. ``Time glides on.''
      --Macaulay.
            The path is smooth that leadeth on to danger.
                                                  --Shak.
   2. Forward, in succession; as, 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.
   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 clothing or ornament, or for use.
      ``I have boots on.'' --B. Gonson.
            He put on righteousness as a breastplate. --Is. lix.
                                                  17.
   6. In progress; proceeding; as, a game is on.
   Note: On is sometimes used as an exclamation, or a command to
         move or proceed, some verb being understood; as, on,
         comrades; that is, go on, move on.
   {On and on}, continuously; for a long time together.
      ``Toiling on and on and on.'' --Longfellow.
   

light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have "Heliopolis" ("city of the sun") instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The "city of destruction" Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. "of Heres;" Heb. 'Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., "city of the sun") may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the "city of the sun-god" shall become the "city of destruction" of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship of the true God be established.

In ancient times this city was full of obelisks dedicated to the sun. Of these only one now remains standing. "Cleopatra's Needle" was one of those which stood in this city in front of the Temple of Tum, i.e., "the sun." It is now erected on the Thames Embankment, London.

"It was at On that Joseph wooed and won the dark-skinned Asenath, the daughter of the high priest of its great temple." This was a noted university town, and here Moses gained his acquaintance with "all the wisdom of the Egyptians."