I. ə|pȯn, ə|pän, ə(|)pən sometimes ˌə|p- preposition
Etymology: Middle English uppon, upon, from uppe & up up + on, preposition — more at up , on
1. : on
2.
a. : upward so as to be on
jumped upon the horse
b. : in a high position on
built a house upon the hill
3. : having a powerful influence on : lying heavily on
the enchantment of the beautiful scenery was still upon me — Scott Fitzgerald
the hush upon the dinner table — Maurice Hewlett
4. — used as a function word to indicate the one by which an oath is taken or by which one swears
upon my word
5. obsolete : in 3b
was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will — Shakespeare
6.
a.
(1) : in or into close proximity or contact with by way of or as if by way of attack
the enemy is upon us
despondency fell upon me — O.S.J.Gogarty
summer holidays are upon us — Alex Atkinson
(2) : into sudden especially unexpected contact with
came upon the letter in an old desk
hits upon a solution
b. archaic
(1) : on the point of
talk with him on this subject, for I see he is upon settling one — Thomas Gray
(2) : coming close to a specified number
has the largest single group … in the world (just upon 70 millions) — Spectator
7. : against in vengeance or punishment
perform upon the unguarded — Shakespeare
8. — used as a function word to indicate (1) a beginning course of action or an action or condition that is beginning
students desiring to enter upon graduate training — College of William & Mary Cat.
or (2) an area of activity or being
a dashing young ensign just come upon the town — Washington Irving
9.
a. : at the risk of
are hereby charged, upon your peril, to pay strict attention — C.S.Forester
b. obsolete : on the condition of
upon my blessing I command thee go — Shakespeare
10.
a.
(1) : immediately following on : very soon after
upon his death, she went on the … stage — Marie A. Kasten
(2) : in answer to : in satisfaction of
upon the demand of government leaders … arrangements were made this year — Wheeler McMillen
transcripts are sent upon the request of the particular student — Bulletin of Meharry Medical College
b. : on the occasion of : at the time of
tells us what combinations of traits occur upon the mixture of two racial types — Ruth Benedict
a yoke which men of spirit will throw off upon the first favorable opportunity — Harper's
11. archaic : by means of
to die upon the hand I love so well — Shakespeare
12. chiefly Scotland : to
was married … upon my Uncle Robin — R.L.Stevenson
II. adverb
Etymology: Middle English uppon, upon, from uppon, upon, preposition
1.
a. obsolete : on the surface : on it
a coin that bears the figure of an angel stamped in gold, but that's insculped upon — Shakespeare
b. archaic : on the body or something that resembles a body
2. obsolete : thereafter , thereon
followed hard upon — Shakespeare