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Con vs On - What's the difference?

con | on |

As verbs the difference between con and on

is that con is to study, especially in order to gain knowledge of while on is to switch on.

As a noun con

is a disadvantage of something, especially when contrasted with its advantages (pros).

As a proper noun Con

is a male given name, a diminutive form of Conor or Cornelius.

As an initialism CON

is Certificate of Need.

As an adjective on is

in the state of being active, functioning or operating.

As an adverb on is

to an operating state.

As a preposition on is

positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.

As an abbreviation ON is

ontario, a province of Canada.

con

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) connen, from (etyl) . More at (l).

Verb

(conn)
  • (rare) To study, especially in order to gain knowledge of.
  • * Wordsworth
  • Fixedly did look / Upon the muddy waters which he conned / As if he had been reading in a book.
  • * Burke
  • I did not come into Parliament to con my lesson.
  • * 1963 , D'Arcy Niland, Dadda jumped over two elephants: short stories :
  • The hawk rested on a crag of the gorge and conned the terrain with a fierce and frowning eye.''
  • (rare, archaic) To know, understand, acknowledge.
  • * 1579 , , Iune:
  • Of Muses Hobbinol, I conne no skill
  • to conduct the movements of a ship at sea.
  • Etymology 2

    Abbreviation of (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A disadvantage of something, especially when contrasted with its advantages (pros ).
  • pros and cons
    Synonyms
    * disadvantage
    Antonyms
    * pro

    Etymology 3

    Shortened from (convict).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (slang) A convicted criminal, a convict.
  • Etymology 4

    From (con trick), shortened from (confidence trick).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (slang) A fraud; something carried out with the intention of deceiving, usually for personal, often illegal, gain.
  • Synonyms
    * See also

    Verb

    (conn)
  • (slang) To trick or defraud, usually for personal gain.
  • Synonyms
    * (to be conned) be sold a pup

    Etymology 5

    From earlier (cond), from (etyl) conduen, from (etyl) conduire, from (etyl) .

    Verb

  • (nautical) To give the necessary orders to the helmsman to steer a ship in the required direction through a channel etc. (rather than steer a compass direction)
  • Noun

    (-)
  • (nautical) The navigational direction of a ship
  • Derived terms
    * conning tower * take the con

    Etymology 6

    or (conference).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An organized gathering such as a convention or conference.
  • See also

    * cone * mod cons

    on

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) (m), , see (m).

    Adjective

    (-)
  • In the state of being active, functioning or operating.
  • Performing according to schedule.
  • Are we still on for tonight?
    Is the show still on ?
  • (UK, informal) Acceptable, appropriate.
  • right on'''''; ''bang '''on'''''; ''not '''on
  • (informal) Destined, normally in the context of a challenge being accepted; involved, doomed.
  • "Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ?"You're on !"
    Mike just threw coffee onto Paul's lap. It's on now.
  • (baseball, informal) Having reached a base as a runner and being positioned there, awaiting further action from a subsequent batter.
  • Synonyms
    * base (not informal)

    Adverb

    (-)
  • To an operating state.
  • turn the television on
  • Along, forwards (continuing an action).
  • drive on''', rock '''on
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=May 5 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool , work=BBC Sport , url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17878435 , page= , passage=He met Luis Suarez's cross at the far post, only for Chelsea keeper Petr Cech to show brilliant reflexes to deflect his header on to the bar. Carroll turned away to lead Liverpool's insistent protests that the ball had crossed the line but referee Phil Dowd and assistant referee Andrew Garratt waved play on , with even a succession of replays proving inconclusive.}}
  • In continuation, at length.
  • and so on .
    He rambled on''' and '''on .
  • (cricket) In, or towards the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs; the left side for a right-handed batsman; leg.
  • (not US) Later.
  • Ten years on nothing had changed in the village.
    Antonyms
    * off * (to an operating state) off * (later) after, afterward/afterwards, later, subsequently, thence

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
  • * Longfellow
  • I stood on the bridge at midnight.
  • At or near; adjacent to.
  • Soon we'll pass a statue on the left.
    The fleet is on the American coast.
  • Covering.
  • At the date of.
  • Some time during the day of.
  • Dealing with the subject of, about, or concerning something.
  • Touching; hanging from.
  • (informal) In the possession of.
  • Because of, or due to.
  • Immediately after.
  • Paid for by.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.}}
  • Away or occupied with (e.g. a scheduled activity).
  • Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with.
  • to play on a violin or piano
    Her words made a lasting impression on my mind.
  • (senseid) Regularly taking (a drug).
  • (senseid) Under the influence of (a drug).
  • (mathematics) Having identical domain and codomain.
  • a function on V
  • (mathematics) Having V^n as domain and V'' as codomain, for some set ''V'' and integer ''n .
  • an operator on V
  • (mathematics) Generated by.
  • Supported by (the specified part of itself).
  • At a given time after the start of something; .
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 24, author=Aled Williams, work=BBC Sport
  • , title=[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/14957961.stm Chelsea 4-1 Swansea] , passage=The Spain striker had given Chelsea the lead on 29 minutes but was shown a straight red card 10 minutes later for a rash challenge on Mark Gower.}}
  • In addition to; besides; indicating multiplication or succession in a series.
  • heaps on heaps of food
    mischief on''' mischief; loss '''on loss
    (Shakespeare)
  • (obsolete) of
  • * Shakespeare
  • Be not jealous on me.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Or have we eaten on the insane root / That takes the reason prisoner?
  • Indicating dependence or reliance; with confidence in.
  • I depended on them for assistance.
    He will promise on certain conditions.
    Do you ever bet on horses?
  • Toward; for; indicating the object of an emotion.
  • Have pity or compassion on him.
  • (obsolete) At the peril of, or for the safety of.
  • * Dryden
  • Hence, on thy life.
  • In the service of; connected with; of the number of.
  • He is on''' a newspaper; I am '''on the committee.
  • By virtue of; with the pledge of.
  • He affirmed or promised on''' his word, or '''on his honour.
  • To the account of; denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon.
  • On us be all the blame.
    A curse on him!
  • * Bible, Matthew xxvii. 25
  • His blood be on' us and ' on our children.
    Derived terms
    * depend on * on-campus * put on airs *

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (Singapore) To switch on.
  • Can you on the light?
    Synonyms
    *

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * (l)

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Without.
  • Usage notes
    * Usually followed by a perfect participle, as being'', ''having , etc.

    Statistics

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