The difference between After and On
When used as prepositions, after means subsequently to, whereas on means positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
When used as adverbs, after means behind, whereas on means to an operating state.
When used as adjectives, after means later, whereas on means in the state of being active, functioning or operating.
After is also conjunction with the meaning: ..
On is also noun with the meaning: in the japanese language, a pronunciation, or reading, of a kanji character that was originally based on the character's pronunciation in chinese, contrasted with kun.
On is also verb with the meaning: to switch on.
check bellow for the other definitions of After and On
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After as an adverb:
Behind; later in time; following.
Examples:
"They lived happily ever after."
"I left the room, and the dog bounded after."
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After as a preposition:
Subsequently to; following in time; later than.
Examples:
"We had a few beers after the game."
"The time is quarter after eight."
"The Cold War began shortly after the Second World War."
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After as a preposition:
Behind.
Examples:
"He will leave a trail of destruction after him."
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After as a preposition:
In pursuit of, seeking.
Examples:
"He's after a job; run after him; inquire after her health."
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After as a preposition:
In allusion to, in imitation of; following or referencing.
Examples:
"We named him after his grandfather; a painting after Leonardo da Vinci."
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After as a preposition:
Next in importance or rank.
Examples:
"The princess is next in line to the throne after the prince."
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After as a preposition:
As a result of.
Examples:
"'After your bad behaviour, you will be punished."
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After as a preposition:
In spite of.
Examples:
"'After all that has happened, he is still my friend."
"I can't believe that, after all our advice against gambling, you walked into that casino!"
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After as a preposition (Irish, usually, preceded by a form of ''be'', followed by an -ing form of a verb):
Examples:
"I was after finishing my dinner when there was a knock on the door."
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After as a preposition (dated):
According to an author or text.
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After as a preposition:
Denoting the aim or object; concerning; in relation to.
Examples:
"to look after workmen; to enquire after a friend; to thirst after righteousness"
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After as a preposition (obsolete):
According to the direction and influence of; in proportion to; befitting.
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After as an adjective (dated):
Later; second (of two); next, following, subsequent
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After as an adjective (nautical, where the frame of reference is within the ship):
At or towards the stern of a ship.
Examples:
"The after gun is mounted aft."
"The after gun is abaft the forward gun."
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On as an adjective:
In the state of being active, functioning or operating.
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On as an adjective:
Performing according to schedule.
Examples:
"Are we still on for tonight?"
"Is the show still on?"
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On as an adjective (chiefly, UK, informal, usually negative):
Acceptable, appropriate.
Examples:
"You can't do that; it's just not on."
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On as an adjective (informal):
Destined, normally in the context of a challenge being accepted; involved, doomed.
Examples:
"Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ―"You're on!"
"Mike just threw coffee onto Paul's lap. It's on now."
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On as an adjective (baseball, informal):
Having reached a base as a runner and being positioned there, awaiting further action from a subsequent batter.
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On as an adjective (euphemistic):
Menstruating.
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On as an adverb:
To an operating state.
Examples:
"turn the [[television]] on'"
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On as an adverb:
Along, forwards (continuing an action).
Examples:
"drive on, rock on'"
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On as an adverb:
In continuation, at length.
Examples:
"and so on."
"He rambled on and on."
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On as an adverb (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.
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On as an adverb (not US):
Later.
Examples:
"Ten years on, nothing had changed in the village."
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On as a preposition:
Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
Examples:
"'on the table; on the couch"
"The parrot was sitting on Jim's shoulder."
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On as a preposition:
At or near; adjacent to.
Examples:
"Soon we'll pass a statue on the left."
"The fleet is on the American coast."
"[[wikipedia:Croton-on-Hudson Croton-on-Hudson]], [[wikipedia:Rostov-on-Don Rostov-on-Don]], [[wikipedia:Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea]]"
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On as a preposition:
Covering.
Examples:
"He wore old shoes on his feet."
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On as a preposition:
At the date of.
Examples:
"Born on the 4th of July."
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On as a preposition:
Some time during the day of.
Examples:
"I'll see you on Monday. The bus leaves on Friday. Can I see you on a different day? On Sunday I'm busy."
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On as a preposition:
Dealing with the subject of, about, or concerning something.
Examples:
"A book on history. The World Summit on the Information Society."
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On as a preposition:
Touching; hanging from.
Examples:
"The fruit ripened on the trees. The painting hangs on the wall."
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On as a preposition (informal):
In the possession of.
Examples:
"I haven't got any money on me."
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On as a preposition:
Because of, or due to.
Examples:
"To arrest someone on suspicion of bribery. To contact someone on a hunch."
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On as a preposition:
Upon; at the time of (and often because of).
Examples:
"'On Jack's entry, William got up to leave."
"'On the addition of ammonia, a chemical reaction begins."
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On as a preposition:
Paid for by.
Examples:
"The drinks are on me tonight, boys. The meal is on the house. I paid for the airfare and meals for my family, but the hotel room was on the company."
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On as a preposition:
Examples:
"I saw it on television. Can't you see I'm on the phone?"
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On as a preposition:
Examples:
"They lived on ten dollars a week. The dog survived three weeks on rainwater."
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On as a preposition:
Away or occupied with (e.g. a scheduled activity).
Examples:
"He's on his lunch break. on vacation; on holiday"
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On as a preposition:
Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with.
Examples:
"to play on a violin or piano"
"Her words made a lasting impression on my mind."
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On as a preposition:
Regularly taking (a drug).
Examples:
"You've been on these antidepressants far too long. He's acting so strangely, I think he must be on something."
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On as a preposition:
Under the influence of (a drug).
Examples:
"He's acting crazy because he's on crack right now."
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On as a preposition (mathematics):
Having identical domain and codomain.
Examples:
"a function on'"
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On as a preposition (mathematics):
Having V^n as domain and V as codomain, for some set V and integer n.
Examples:
"an operator on'"
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On as a preposition (mathematics):
Generated by.
Examples:
"the free group on four letters"
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On as a preposition:
Supported by (the specified part of itself).
Examples:
"A table can't stand on two legs. After resting on his elbows, he stood on his toes, then walked on his heels."
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On as a preposition:
At a given time after the start of something; at.
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On as a preposition:
In addition to; besides; indicating multiplication or succession in a series.
Examples:
"heaps on heaps of food"
"mischief on mischief; loss on loss"
"rfquotek Shakespeare"
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On as a preposition (obsolete, regional):
of
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On as a preposition:
Indicating dependence or reliance; with confidence in.
Examples:
"I depended on them for assistance."
"He will promise on certain conditions."
"Do you ever bet on horses?"
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On as a preposition:
Toward; for; indicating the object of an emotion.
Examples:
"Have pity or compassion on him."
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On as a preposition (obsolete):
At the peril of, or for the safety of.
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On as a preposition:
In the service of; connected with; of the number of.
Examples:
"He is on a newspaper; I am on the committee."
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On as a preposition:
By virtue of; with the pledge of.
Examples:
"He affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honour."
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On as a preposition:
To the account or detriment of; denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon.
Examples:
"'On us be all the blame."
"A curse on him!"
"Please don't tell on her and get her in trouble."
"He turned on her and has been her enemy ever since."
"He went all honest on me, making me listen to his confession."
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On as a preposition (especially when numbers of combatants or competitors are specified):
Against; in opposition to.
Examples:
"The fight was three on one, and he never stood a chance."
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On as a verb (transitive, Singapore, Philippines):
to switch on
Examples:
"Can you on the light?"
"synonyms: turn on"
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On as a preposition (UK, _, dialectal, Scotland):
Without.
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On as a noun:
In the Japanese language, a pronunciation, or reading, of a kanji character that was originally based on the character's pronunciation in Chinese, contrasted with kun.
Examples:
"Most kanji have two kinds of reading, called "on" and "kun"."