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Open vs On - What's the difference?

open | on |

As nouns the difference between open and on

is that open is while on is lamb.

open

English

(wikipedia open)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (not comparable) Which is not closed; accessible; unimpeded; as, an open gate.
  • * 1908, (Kenneth Grahame), (The Wind in the Willows) , Chapter 2
  • The open road, the dusty highway
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The attack of the MOOCs , passage=Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.}}
  • Not drawn together, closed, or contracted; extended; expanded.
  • an open''' hand; an '''open''' flower; an '''open prospect
  • * Dryden
  • Each, with open arms, embraced her chosen knight.
  • (not comparable) Actively conducting or prepared to conduct business.
  • (comparable) Receptive.
  • * Bible, Acts xix. 33
  • If Demetrius have a matter against any man, the law is open and there are deputies.
  • * Shakespeare
  • The service that I truly did his life, / Hath left me open to all injuries.
  • (not comparable) Public; as, an open letter, an open declaration.
  • * Shakespeare
  • His thefts are too open .
  • * Milton
  • That I may find him, and with secret gaze / Or open admiration him behold.
  • (not comparable) Candid, ingenuous, not subtle in character.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • with aspect open , shall erect his head
  • * Shakespeare
  • The Moor is of a free and open nature.
  • * Addison
  • The French are always open , familiar, and talkative.
  • (mathematics, logic, of a formula) Having a free variable.
  • (mathematics, topology, of a set) Which is part of a predefined collection of subsets of X, that defines a topological space on X.
  • In current use; mapped to part of memory.
  • (business) Not fulfilled.
  • Not settled or adjusted; not decided or determined; not closed or withdrawn from consideration.
  • an open question
    to keep an offer or opportunity open
  • (music, stringed instruments) Without any fingers pressing the string against the fingerboard.
  • Not of a quality to prevent communication, as by closing waterways, blocking roads, etc.; hence, not frosty or inclement; mild; used of the weather or the climate.
  • an open winter
    (Francis Bacon)
  • (phonetics) Uttered with a relatively wide opening of the articulating organs; said of vowels.
  • (phonetics) Uttered, as a consonant, with the oral passage simply narrowed without closure.
  • Synonyms
    * (not closed) accessible, unimpeded
    Antonyms
    * (accessible) closed, shut
    Derived terms
    (Terms derived from the adjective "open") * break open * clopen * drop open * half-open * keep a weather eye open * keep an eye open * lay open * open-air * open-and-shut * open-armed * open-arse * open bar * open book * open cluster * open-collar * open compound * open content * open design * open-ended * open-eyed * open-face * open-faced * open fireplace * open goal * open-handed/openhanded * open heart surgery * open-hearted * open-hearth * open house * open interest * open letter * open listing * open loop * open marriage * open matte * open mic * open mind * open-mouthed * open outcry * open outsourcing * open-plan * open problem * open proxy * open sandwich * open sea * open season * open secret * open sight * open source * open system * open water * open-work * openable * openside * Open University * wide open * with open arms

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make something accessible or remove an obstacle to its being accessible.
  • * , chapter=7
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. […] The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!” and “Hello!” like the bull of Bashan.}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=20 citation , passage=‘No. I only opened the door a foot and put my head in. The street lamps shine into that room. I could see him. He was all right. Sleeping like a great grampus. Poor, poor chap.’}}
  • To bring up (a topic).
  • To make accessible to customers or clients.
  • To start (a campaign).
  • To become .
  • * , chapter=1
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage=I stumbled along through the young pines and huckleberry bushes. Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path that, I cal'lated, might lead to the road I was hunting for. It twisted and turned, and, the first thing I knew, made a sudden bend around a bunch of bayberry scrub and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn.}}
  • To begin conducting business.
  • To enter upon; to begin.
  • to open''' a discussion; to '''open''' fire upon an enemy; to '''open''' trade, or correspondence; to '''open a case in court, or a meeting
  • (cricket) To begin a side's innings as one of the first two batsmen.
  • (poker) To bet before any other player has in a particular betting round in a game of poker.
  • (transitive, intransitive, poker) To reveal one's hand.
  • To load into memory for viewing or editing.
  • To spread; to expand into an open or loose position.
  • to open a closed fist
    to open matted cotton by separating the fibres
  • (obsolete) To disclose; to reveal; to interpret; to explain.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • The king opened himself to some of his council, that he was sorry for the earl's death.
  • * Bible, Jer. xx. 12
  • Unto thee have I opened my cause.
    Antonyms
    * (to make accessible) close, shut
    Derived terms
    * open a can of whoop ass * open fire * open one's big mouth * open sesame * open shop * open the attack * open the face * open up * reopen *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sports event in which anybody can compete; as, the Australian Open.
  • (electronics) a wire that is broken midway.
  • The electrician found the open in the circuit after a few minutes of testing.
  • (with the ) Open or unobstructed space; an exposed location.
  • I can't believe you left the lawnmower out in the open when you knew it was going to rain this afternoon!
    Wary of hunters, the fleeing deer kept well out of the open , dodging instead from thicket to thicket.
  • (with the ) Public knowledge or scrutiny; full view.
  • We have got to bring this company's corrupt business practices into the open .

    Statistics

    *

    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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