Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

On \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.

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.

                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.]

                She sent an arrow forth with mighty draught.
                                                  --Spenser.
      (c) Act of drawing a net; a sweeping the water for fish.

                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.

                In his hands he took the goblet, but a while the
                draught forbore.                  --Trench.
      (e) A sudden attack or drawing upon an enemy. [Obs.]

                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.

   2. That which is drawn; as:
      (a) That which is taken by sweeping with a net.

                Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets
                for a draught.                    --Luke v. 4.

                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.

                Disguise thyself as thou wilt, still, Slavery, .
                . . still thou art a bitter draught. --Sterne.

                Low lies that house where nut-brown draughts
                inspired.                         --Goldsmith.
      (d) A sketch, outline, or representation, whether written,
          designed, or drawn; a delineation.

                A draught of a Toleration Act was offered to the
                Parliament by a private member.   --Macaulay.

                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.

                He preferred to go and sit upon the stairs, in .
                . . a strong draught of air, until he was again
                sent for.                         --Dickens.

   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.

   4. Capacity of being drawn; force necessary to draw;
      traction.

            The Hertfordshire wheel plow . . . is of the easiest
            draught.                              --Mortimer.

   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.

   6. (Com.) An allowance on weighable goods. [Eng.] See
      {Draft}, 4.

   7. A move, as at chess or checkers. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

   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.

   9. (Masonry) See {Draft}, n., 7.

   {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}.