Frequency: The word is ~e of the 700 most comm~ words in English.
Note: In additi~ to the uses shown below, '~' is used after some verbs, nouns, and adjectives in order to introduce extra informati~. 'On' is also used in phrasal verbs such as ‘keep ~’, ‘cott~ ~’, and ‘sign ~’.
1.
If some~e or something is ~ a surface or object, the surface or object is immediately below them and is supporting their weight.
He is sitting beside her ~ the sofa...
On top of the cupboards are vast straw baskets which Pat uses for dried flower arrangements...
On the table were dishes piled high with sweets...
PREP
2.
If something is ~ a surface or object, it is stuck to it or attached to it.
I admired the peeling paint ~ the ceiling...
The clock ~ the wall showed ~e minute to twelve...
There was a smear of gravy ~ his chin.
PREP
•
On is also an adverb.
I know how to darn, and how to sew a butt~ ~.
ADV: ADV after v
3.
If you put, throw, or drop something ~ a surface, you move it or drop it so that it is then supported by the surface.
He got his winter jacket from the closet and dropped it ~ the sofa...
He threw a folded dollar ~ the counter.
= ~to
PREP
4.
You use ~ to say what part of your body is supporting your weight.
He c~tinued to lie ~ his back and look at clouds...
He raised himself ~ his elbows, squinting into the sun...
She was ~ her hands and knees in the bathroom.
PREP
5.
You use ~ to say that some~e or something touches a part of a pers~’s body.
He leaned down and kissed her lightly ~ the mouth...
His jaw was broken after he was hit ~ the head.
PREP
6.
If some~e has a particular expressi~ ~ their face, their face has that expressi~.
The maid looked at him, a nervous smile ~ her face...
She looked at him with a hurt expressi~ ~ her face.
PREP: n PREP n
7.
When you put a piece of clothing ~, you place it over part of your body in order to wear it. If you have it ~, you are wearing it.
He put his coat ~ while she opened the fr~t door...
I had a hat ~.
ADV: ADV after v
8.
You can say that you have something ~ you if you are carrying it in your pocket or in a bag.
I didn’t have any m~ey ~ me...
PREP: PREP pr~
9.
If some~e’s eyes are ~ you, they are looking or staring at you.
Every~e’s eyes were fixed ~ him...
It’s as if all eyes are focused ~ me...
PREP
10.
If you hurt yourself ~ something, you accidentally hit a part of your body against it and that thing causes damage to you.
Mr Pendle hit his head ~ a wall as he fell...
PREP
11.
If you are ~ an area of land, you are there.
You lived ~ the farm until you came back to America?
...a tall tree ~ a mountain.
PREP
12.
If something is situated ~ a place such as a road or coast, it forms part of it or is by the side of it.
Bergdorf Goodman has opened a men’s store ~ Fifth Avenue...
The hotel is ~ the coast...
He visited relatives at their summer house ~ the river.
PREP
13.
If you get ~ a bus, train, or plane, you go into it in order to travel somewhere. If you are ~ it, you are travelling in it.
We waited till twelve and we finally got ~ the plane...
I never go ~ the bus into the town...
PREP
•
On is also an adverb.
He showed his ticket to the c~ductor and got ~.
ADV: ADV after v
14.
If there is something ~ a piece of paper, it has been written or printed there.
The writing ~ the back of the card was cramped but scrupulously neat...
The numbers she put ~ the chart were 98.4, 64, and 105...
PREP
15.
If something is ~ a list, it is included in it.
The Queen now doesn’t even appear ~ the list of the 40 richest people in Britain.
...the range of topics ~ the agenda for their talks.
PREP
16.
Books, discussi~s, or ideas ~ a particular subject are c~cerned with that subject.
They offer a free counselling service which can offer help and advice ~ legal matters...
He declined to give any informati~ ~ the Presidential electi~...
PREP
17.
You use ~ to introduce the method, principle, or system which is used to do something.
...a televisi~ that we bought ~ credit two m~ths ago.
...a levelling system which acts ~ the same principle as a spirit level...
They want all groups to be treated ~ an equal basis.
PREP
18.
If something is d~e ~ an instrument or a machine, it is d~e using that instrument or machine.
...s~gs that I could just sit down and play ~ the piano...
I could do all my work ~ the computer...
PREP
19.
If informati~ is, for example, ~ tape or ~ computer, that is the way that it is stored.
‘I thought it was a load of rubbish.’—‘Right we’ve got that ~ tape.’...
Descripti~s of the pieces have been logged ~ computer by the Art Loss Register...
PREP
20.
If something is being broadcast, you can say that it is ~ the radio or televisi~.
Every sporting event ~ televisi~ and satellite over the next seven days is listed...
Here, listen, they’re talking about it ~ Radio-Paris right now.
PREP
•
On is also an adjective.
...teenagers complaining there’s nothing good ~.
ADJ: v-link ADJ
21.
When an activity is taking place, you can say that it is ~.
There’s a marvellous match ~ at Wimbled~ at the moment...
We in Berlin hardly knew a war was ~ during the early part of 1941.
ADJ: v-link ADJ
22.
You use ~ in expressi~s such as ‘have a lot ~’ and ‘not have very much ~’ to indicate how busy some~e is. (SPOKEN)
I have a lot ~ in the next week.
ADV: ADV after v, amount ADV
23.
You use ~ to introduce an activity that some~e is doing, particularly travelling.
I’ve always wanted to go ~ a cruise...
Students ~ the full-time course of study are usually sp~sored...
PREP
24.
When something such as a machine or an electric light is ~, it is functi~ing or in use. When you switch it ~, it starts functi~ing.
The central heating’s been turned off. I’ve turned it ~ again...
The light had been left ~...
He didn’t bother to switch ~ the light.
? off
ADV: be ADV, ADV after v
25.
If you are ~ a committee or council, you are a member of it.
Claire and Beryl were ~ the organizing committee...
He was ~ the Council of Foreign Relati~s.
PREP
26.
You can indicate when something happens by saying that it happens ~ a particular day or date.
This year’s event will take place ~ June 19th, a week earlier than usual...
She travels to Korea ~ M~day...
I was born ~ Christmas day...
Dr. Keen arrived about seven ~ Sunday morning.
PREP
27.
You use ~ when menti~ing an event that was followed by another ~e.
She waited in her hotel to welcome her children ~ their arrival from L~d~...
On reaching Dubai the evacuees are taken straight to Dubai internati~al airport.
PREP: PREP n/-ing
28.
You use ~ to say that some~e is c~tinuing to do something.
They walked ~ in silence for a while...
If the examinati~ shows your company enjoys basically good health, read ~...
He happened to be in England when the war broke out and he just stayed ~.
ADV: ADV after v
29.
If you say that some~e goes ~ at you, you mean that they c~tinually criticize you, complain to you, or ask you to do something.
She’s been ~ at me for weeks to show her round the stables...
He used to keep ~ at me about the need to win...
ADV: be ADV, ADV after v, usu ADV at n
30.
You use ~ in expressi~s such as from now ~ and from then ~ to indicate that something starts to happen at the time menti~ed and c~tinues to happen afterwards.
Perhaps it would be best not to see much of you from now ~...
We can expect trouble from this moment ~...
ADV: from n ADV
31.
You often use ~ after the adverbs ‘early’, ‘late’, ‘far’, and their comparative forms, especially at the beginning or end of a sentence, or before a prepositi~.
The market square is a riot of colour and animati~ from early ~ in the morning...
Later ~ I learned how to read music...
The pub where I had arranged to meet Nobby was a good five minutes walk further ~.
ADV: adv ADV
32.
Some~e who is ~ a drug takes it regularly.
She was ~ antibiotics for an eye infecti~ that wouldn’t go away...
Many of the elderly are ~ medicati~.
PREP
33.
If you live ~ a particular kind of food, you eat it. If a machine runs ~ a particular kind of power or fuel, it uses it in order to functi~.
The caterpillars feed ~ a wide range of trees, shrubs and plants...
He lived ~ a diet of water and tinned fish...
...making and selling vehicles that run ~ batteries or fuel-cells.
= off
PREP: v PREP n
34.
If you are ~ a particular income, that is the income that you have.
He’s ~ three hundred a week...
You w~’t be rich as an MP, but you’ll have enough to live ~.
PREP
35.
Taxes or profits that are obtained from something are referred to as taxes or profits ~ it.
...a general strike to protest a tax ~ food and medicine last week...
The Church was to receive a cut of the profits ~ every record sold...
PREP: n PREP n
36.
When you buy something or pay for something, you spend m~ey ~ it.
I resolved not to waste m~ey ~ a hotel...
He spent more ~ feeding the dog than he spent ~ feeding himself...
More m~ey should be spent ~ educati~ and housing.
PREP: PREP n/-ing
37.
When you spend time or energy ~ a particular activity, you spend time or energy doing it.
People complain about how children spend so much time ~ computer games...
...the opportunity to c~centrate more time and energy ~ America’s domestic agenda.
PREP: PREP n/-ing
38.
If you say that something is not ~ or is just not ~, you mean that it is unacceptable or impossible. (mainly BRIT INFORMAL)
We shouldn’t use the police in that way. It’s just not ~.
PHRASE: v-link PHR
39.
If you say that something happens ~ and ~, you mean that it c~tinues to happen for a very l~g time.
...designers, builders, fitters–the list goes ~ and ~...
Lobell drove ~ and ~ through the dense and blowing snow.
...a desert of ice stretching ~ and ~.
PHRASE: usu PHR after v
40.
If you ask some~e what they are ~ about or what they are going ~ about, you are puzzled because you cannot understand what they are talking about. (BRIT INFORMAL)
What ~ earth are you going ~ about?...
H~est, Kate, I d~’t know what you’re ~ about.
PHRASE: V inflects
41.
If you say that some~e knows what they are ~ about, you are c~fident that what they are saying is true or makes sense, for example because they are an expert. (BRIT INFORMAL)
It looks like he knows what he’s ~ about.
PHRASE: Vs inflect
42.
If some~e has something ~ you, they have evidence that you have d~e something wr~g or bad. If they have nothing ~ you, they cannot prove that you have d~e anything wr~g or bad. (INFORMAL)
He may have something ~ her. He may have supplied her with drugs, and then threatened to tell if she didn’t do this...
You’ve got nothing ~ me and you know it. Your theory would never stand up in a court of law.
PHRASE: V inflects
43.
~ behalf of: see behalf
~ and off: see off
and so ~: see so
~ top of: see top