upon

▪ I. upon, prep.
    (əˈpɒn)
    Forms: α. 3– upon (4–5, 7 up on, 6 Sc. uponn), 4–7 vpon (3–5 vp on, 4, 5 Sc. vpone, Sc. 5–6 wpone, 6–7 wpon), 3–7 uppon, vppon (3 Orm. upponn, 4 upp on). β. 3–6 opon (4 oupon, opan), 4–5 oppon. γ. 3–6, 9 Sc. apon (4 apan), 5 Sc., 6 apone, 5–6 Sc. apoun, 5–7 Sc. appon(e, apponne. δ. 6 poun, 8–9 'pon. See also upo'.
    [Early ME. upon, uppon, etc., f. up adv.¹ and adv.² + on prep.; distinct from late OE. and early ME. uppon, var. of OE. uppan up prep.¹
    The compound may have partly arisen from uses of upp on or uppe on in OE. (for instances see up adv.¹ and adv.²), but the date at which it appears, and the locality of the texts in which it is first prominent, suggest that it was mainly due to the influence of ON. upp á (MSw. up a, op a, uppa, oppa, etc.; Sw. på, Norw. and Da. paa), with which it agrees in laying the stress on the preposition and weakening or altogether ignoring the force of up. In the mod. Scand. tongues, except Icelandic and Faeroese, the reduced form på, paa, corresponding to Eng. (colloq. or dial.) 'pon, 'po', has displaced the simple prep. å, aa = on.]
    Originally denoting elevation as well as contact, the compound has from the earliest period of its occurrence so far lost the former implication, that is, it has been regularly employed as a simple equivalent of on, in all the varieties of meaning which that preposition has developed. The use of the one form or the other has been for the most part a matter of individual choice (on grounds of rhythm, emphasis, etc.) or of simple accident, although in certain contexts and phrases there may be a general tendency to prefer the one to the other. For ease of comparison, the following arrangement of the senses corresponds as closely as possible with that of on. (See also here-, there-, whereupon.)
    I. Of local position outside of, but in contact with or close to, a surface.
    1. Above and in contact with; in an elevated position on; at rest on the upper surface of; on and supported by; = on prep. 1.
    In a few instances in late MSS. (e.g. Hatton Gosp. Matt. v. 14) OE. up on can be taken in this sense, but appears to be merely a scribal variant or alteration of uppon for uppan up prep.¹

c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2867 Ðat..hise folc..ben ðor ȝare, In ðe deserd an stede up-on, His leue sacrifise to don. a 1272 Luue Ron 121 in O.E. Misc. 97 Hit stont vppon a treowe mote. c 1290 St. Brendan 368 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 229 At ester eue heore procuratour bad heom..heore resurrection opon þe fisches rugge make. Ibid. 577 Þe ston þat ich op-on sitte. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 1054 The hyȝe trone..Þe hyȝe godez self hit set vpone. c 1386 Chaucer Miller's T. 637 Til he cam to þe selle Vpon þe flore. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. i. 199 Vynys that vppon the hillis stonde. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxii. 486 Reynawde..was vpon the hyghe gate of Ardeyn. 1508 Dunbar Gold. Targe 20 The birdis sang vpon the tender croppis. c 1560 A. Scott Poems i. 4 Welcum, oure rubent roiss vpoun þe ryce. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iv. xiv. 4 A forked Mountaine, or blew Promontorie With Trees vpon't. a 1648 Digby Chym. Secr. ii. (1682) 215 Take it upon the point of a knife. 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. iv. §8 The castle upon yonder hill. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones xiv. ii, She's here, Mrs. Honour is upon the stairs. 1816 J. Wilson City of Plague i. i. 191 Wilt thou rest, old man, Upon this traveller's seat? 1825 J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 383 A pair of rollers upon the top of the roving-can. 1903 Mrs. De la Pasture Cornelius 7 A Crown Derby service was spread forth upon a round table.

    b. Said with reference to an expanse, as of land, sea, etc.; = on prep. 1 b. (Freq. from c 1650.)
    upon a († the) level (with): see level n. 2, 3.

c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3273 And moyses stod up-on ðe sond. c 1300 Havelok 735 Þer sat is ship up-on þe sond. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 39 Neuere werrede we wiþ wiȝth up-on erþe. Ibid. 739 Of swiche bestus..Þei han miht vp-on molde. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ix. 56 Vnder a Lynde, vppon a launde leonede I a stounde. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 53 He syh upon the grene gras The faire freisshe floures springe. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 2393 Þis blessud virgyn..Twolfeȝere..in hurr tombe lay, As saffe, as hole as he vpon vrthe ȝede. c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 312 Thai plantit doun ane pailyeoun, vpone ane plane lee. 1526 Tindale Mark vi. 48 When they sawe him walkinge apon the see. 1535 Fisher Wks. (1876) 305 He must treade vppon the fallowes. 1568 Durham Wills (Surtees) III. 44 Corne..in the barne 58l., Upon the earth at 20l. 1609 Bible (Douay) Ezek. xvi. 5 Thou wast throwen forth upon the face of the earth. 1650 Howell Giraffi's Rev. Naples i. 15 Benches, Forms,..were burnt all to ashes upon the streets. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 203 Wood and Lodging..are very scarce upon that Road. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 42 ¶ 3 Two or three Shifters of Scenes..make up a complete Body of Guards upon the English Stage. 1812 Byron Ch. Har. i. xiii. 75 Now I'm in the world alone, Upon the wide, wide sea. 1828 Lytton Pelham III. xix, I have no time..to speak of the earlier part of my life. I passed it upon the race-course. 1871 Haweis Music & Morals (1874) 7 The Painter's art lies upon the surface of the world.

    c. Denoting the part of the body on which one is supported; = on prep. 1 c.
    See also foot n. 27, knee n. 3 a, tiptoe n. 1.

1390 Gower Conf. I. 286 Sche began merci to crie Upon hire bare knes. c 1440 Generydes 44 Vppe vppon his fete he was a non. 1481 Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 18 He satte vpon his hammes. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. ii. i. 270 Vpon my knees, I charme you,..By all your vowes of Loue. 1661 Earl of Orrery St. Lett. (1742) 40 We are now upon our last legs. 1692 tr. C'tess D'Aunoy's Trav. 157 Three or four Pages..serve me upon Knee. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 460 ¶7 Gallantry strutting upon his Tiptoes. 1784 Cowper Task iv. 546 Her tott'ring form Ill propp'd upon French heels. 1800 Wordsw. Hart-Leap Well i. xi, Upon his side the Hart was lying stretched. 1843 Macaulay Horatius lxvi, Horatius in his harness, Halting upon one knee.

    d. Indicating a means of locomotion or conveyance; = on prep. 1 d.

a 1300 Cursor M. 894 For þou sal slid apon þi brest. c 1300 Havelok 2041 Yf he mouhte..gangen wel up-on hise fet. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 88 Swyerez þat swyftly swyed on blonkez, & also fele vpon fote. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. vii. 43 Strengest vp-on stede, and styuest vnder gurdell. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) i. 4 It es made sittand apon a hors. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 794 Vpon ane rude Runsy he ruschit out of toun. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 4 She..heauie sat vpon her palfrey slow. 1648 Hexham ii, Een Rijdt-bane, a Sliding place..to slide upon Schates. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 350 The great King, whom they carry upon a Sindela of cotton. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 345 We went on Shore upon the Tide of Flood, near high Water. 1803 Southey Queen Orraca iv. vii, Upon her palfrey she is set, And forward then they go. 1821 Scott Pirate xxx, She saw him flee forth of the window..upon a dragon. 1853 Kane Grinnell Exp. xxxii. (1856) 282, I mounted the upheaving ice, and rode upon the fragments.

    e. Denoting that on which the hand is placed in taking the oath, or the basis of an oath, etc.; = on prep. 1 f.
    See also conscience 9, evangel¹ 3, evangely 3, faith n. 8, honour n. 9 b, life n. 3 c, rep¹, soul n. 10 c, word n.

c 1290 Beket 585 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 123 Þat he ne scholde nouȝt swerie op-on þe boke. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 10468 He swor hym vpon þe bok, To holde of hym his heritage. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xv. cxxxvi. (Bodl. MS.), Hoote welles þat..blindeþ þeues ȝif he swereþ vpon þe water and toucheþ heere yȝen þerewiþ. c 1400 Destr. Troy 642 Yow swiftly shall sweire vppon swete goddes, This couenaunt to kepe. a 1460 in Hist. Coll. Lond. Cit. (Camden) 119 The for sayde captaynys have sworne a-pon hyr honowre that..they shalle not makyn [etc.]. 1493 Litt. Red Bk. Bristol (1900) II. 134 This ys trew apon owre consciens. 1610 Shakes. Temp. ii. ii. 130 I'le sweare vpon that Bottle, to be thy true subiect. 1645 Docq. Lett. Pat. at Oxf. (1837) 268 Administring of Oathes vpon the Holy Evangelistes. 1710 Addison Tatler No. 253 ¶1 The Assistants..were all sworn upon their Honour. 1722 De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 67 He would come back..and untie him, upon his word. 1776 Trial Nundocomar 52/1 You have sworn me upon the waters of the Ganges: how can I tell more than I remember? 1831 James Phil. Augustus III. x, I declare that..he himself [is] worthy of death, upon my honour! 1848 Dickens Dombey xxxix, Upon my word and honour,..it would be a charity.

    † f. Above, more than. Obs. Cf. up prep.¹ 8.

13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 359 Opon al oþer y loue þe. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 969 Son, vpon al thing Doo aftre Nathanaels teching.

    † g. fig. Over (a person, etc.), in respect of rule, authority, or supervision. Obs.
    See also reign v. 1 b, rule v. 5 b, ruler 1 (quot. 1382).

c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 383 Þe kyngis of heþen han lordeschip vp-on hem. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) iii. 10 Þi powere es grete apon þi subgets. 1422 Yong tr. Secreta Secret. 162 Oure Lord god enoyntyd Saule Kynge vppon Israell. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 69 He aught to haue lawde That..hath lordship vpon his ennemyes. 1534 Whitinton Tullyes Offices i. (1540) 11 A man that wolde be chefe ruler vpon the commentye.

    h. Taking part in, forming a member of (an inquest, jury, etc.). Cf. on prep. 1 g.

1516 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 422/2 Thai..being apone the inqueist..in the schiref court. 1609 [see sit v. 28]. 1643 Docq. Lett. Pat. at Oxf. (1837) 5 Consociating himselfe with his neighboring Justices in sitting upon an illegal Commission. 1676 Office Clerk of Assize a vj, Persons..to serve in or upon the Grand Jury. 1729 Jacob Law Dict. s.v. Jury, Clergymen, Apothecaries, &c. are exempted by Law from serving upon Juries. 1769 [see jury n. 2 b].

    i. Hence in many phrases, originally denoting physical location, of which the sense has become more or less figurative; = on prep. 1 h. See esp. anvil n. 2 b, carpet n. 1 b, hand n. 32, high a. 17 h, 18, level n. 4, par n. 1, spot n.¹ 9, table n. 5 b.
    2. Denoting contact with or location on a surface, etc., whatever its position; = on prep. 2.

(a) c 1200 Ormin Ded. 69 Þatt upponn all þiss boc ne be Nan word ȝæn Cristess lare. a 1300 Cursor M. 23215 Painted fire..Þat apon a wagh war wroght. 1382 Wyclif Exod. xxxiv. 1 Y shal write vpon hem [sc. stone tables] the wordes that hadden the tablis. 1535 Coverdale Hab. ii. 2 Wryte the vision planely vpon thy tables. 1552 in J. O. Payne St. Paul's Cathedral (1893) 22 A greate clothe of redd silke..with lions of golde upon it. 1566, 1596 [see insculp v.]. 1596– [see record n. 1]. 1605 Shakes. Macb. v. i. 7, I haue seene her..take foorth paper,..write vpon't, read it. Ibid. viii. 26 As our rarer Monsters are Painted vpon a pole. 1729 T. Innes Crit. Essay (1879) 74 His name is upon it, written with his own hand. 1766 [see engrave v. 3 a]. 1776 Trial Nundocomar 97/2 Did you see upon the face of the bond anything to make you suspect it? 1801 Farmer's Mag. Apr. 203 Which is very practicable upon paper. 1888 ‘J. S. Winter’ Bootle's Childr. v, A gold bangle with ‘Mignon’ upon it..in raised letters.

(b) a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1187 Þe treo Þer he deide upon. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 43/300 Þis ȝoungue Man sixe and þritti dawes heng up-on þe galu-treo. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. i. 154 Was neuere leef vpon lynde liȝter þer-after. 14.. Lydg. Min. Poems (1911) 252 As he [sc. Christ] hangeth vp-on the roode tre. 1536 Exhort. to North in Furnivall Ballads fr. MSS. I. 307 The gallous apone, prepared for mardoche, hanged he was. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 121 Lat him end his lyf vpon ane fork. 1605 Shakes. Macb. v. v. 39 Vpon the next Tree shall thou hang. 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 411 A sail set upon the flying jib-boom. 1899 Shetland News 16 Dec. (E.D.D. s.v. Hing), I took aff me kjaep, an' hang her apon a nail.

(c) c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 111 Vp on his arm he baar a gay bracer. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 813 With broches and golde opon hir arme. 1494 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 23 The little Bone that sitteth upon the great Fin. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §21 A wedynge-hoke with a socket set vpon a lyttel staffe. 1547 in Feuillerat Revels Edw. VI (1914) 10 Th'under sleves of..Satten cut vpon Red Sarcenett. 1655 Stanley Hist. Philos. ii. 7 By reflection of the Sunns beams upon a thick cloud, which, not able to pierce it, are refracted upon it. 1774 J. Bryant Mythol. II. 231 Upon the head of the woman is a veil. 1824 T. G. Cumming Rail & Tram Roads 24 Several branches were made..with the flaunche upon the wheel, and not upon the rail. 1847 Marryat Childr. N. Forest xix, Those clothes would not look so well upon Oswald. 1889 Doyle Micah Clarke 318 Monmouth must fight now, if he ever hopes to feel the gold rim upon his temples.

    b. Used of immaterial relationships, or in figurative expressions.
    to (be)get..upon (a woman): see beget v. 2 b, get v. 26.

a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xlii. 8 His eȝe is euere þe vppon. 1423 Jas. I King's Q. ii, I..toke a boke to rede apon a quhile. c 1450 Mirk's Festial i. 6 Vnsley old man, goo heþen! for I se apon þe mony meruayles. 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer Pref., All thynges must be read vpon the boke. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. i. i. 20 Vpon some booke I loue, I'le pray for thee. 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacræ ii. iii. §4 That what is spoken hath the impress of Divine authority upon it. Ibid. v. §2 They have a clear and distinct perception of God upon their own minds. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 498 The Horror which was upon our Minds. 1753–4 Richardson Grandison I. xii. 66 Every one's eyes were upon me. 1806 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (ed. 4) vi. 97 Here am I..with a sort of traveller's lumbago upon me. 1832 L. Hunt Gentle Armour i. 142 The page returns with doubt upon his eyes. 1848 Bailey Festus (ed. 3) 230 There was a tale Upon thy tongue he interrupted. 1877 Spurgeon Serm. XXIII. 669 It is absurd upon its very face.

    c. By means of; with. Now dial.

c 1440 York Myst. xix. 212 Þe knyght vppon his knyffe Hath slayne my sone. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. ii. i. 244 To die vpon the hand I loue so well. 1742 Phil. Trans. XLII. 266 The Perfection of Smelling in the Inhabitants of the Antibes, who can run a Man upon the Nose like an Hound. 1751 C. Labelye Westm. Bridge 71 Explaining before them, upon a working Model, the Method I proposed. 1790 Boswell Lett. (1924) 388, I intended to have printed it upon what is called an English letter. 1865 R. Hunt Pop. Rom. West Eng. I. 105 Which eye can you see me upon?

    d. Used in reference to an axis, pivot, or base; = on prep. 1 e. (Cf. raise v. 8 b, turn v. 3.)

1570 Billingsley Euclid i. i. 8 A triangle..set or described vpon a line. 1593 T. Fale Dialling 14 Upon E make a halfe circle from H by G. 1679 Moxon Math. Dict. s.v. Circle, The Circle..is described upon the Centre A. 1728 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Triangle, A Triangle is equal to a Parallelogram upon the same Base, but half the Altitude. 1796 Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813) 149 Each describing the portion of a circle upon (P) as a center. 1830 Tennyson Mariana vi, The doors upon their hinges creak'd. 1832 Prop. Reg. Instr. Cavalry iii. 47 Two contiguous points given as a Base, upon which a body of troops is to march or form. 1877 Huxley Anat. Inv. Anim. vi. 309 The next four somites..cease to be moveable upon one another.

    3. a. On the bank of (a river or lake); on the shore of (the sea); on the borders of (a territory, etc.); close by, near to; bordering upon; beside or by; = on prep. 3.

13.. K. Alis. 4090 (Laud MS.), A Castel he had vpon þe ryue. 1387 Trevisa Hidgen V. 329 He fauȝt..aȝenst þe Saxons..uppon þe ryver Gleny. c 1425 Eng. Conq. Irel. 142 The tounes vp-on the see. 1474 Rental Bk. Cupar-Angus (1879) I. 197 To mak a myl..othir vpoun the gret watter or vpoun the burn. 1526 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 514/1 Theifis and tratouris duelland apoun Levin. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. viii. 7 b, Alger..is situated vpon the Mediterane Sea. 1601 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. 192 Siras seated vpon the riuer Bindimire. 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacræ iii. iv. §13 The greatest part of the Countries lying upon the Ocean and Mediterranean. 1720 De Foe Capt. Singleton xiii. (1840) 226 A tract of land..seated upon some navigable river. 1747 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. V. 87 Upon the heads of Joniady River. 1859 Tennyson Marr. Geraint 145 Arthur..Held court at old Caerleon upon Usk.

    † b. About; near; close on (a specified number, etc.). Obs.
    In later use only with close adv. 1 d, near adv.² 5 c, nigh adv. 12 c.

1451 J. Capgrave Life St. Gilbert 68 He left at his deth swech persones dedicate to God vp-on too þousand too hundred. 1477 Caxton Jason 74 He cessed not to..rowe til he cam nyghe the Ile vpon a bowe shotte. 1478 J. Paston in P. Lett. III. 219 A steppe modyr of hyrs, whyche is upon l. yer of age. 1482 Cely Papers (Camden) 102 Ther wylbe in aull with blottes apon xxvij or xxviij sarplers wholl. 1534 Tindale Luke viii. 42 He had but a doughter only, apon a twelve yere of age. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII, 32 b, He had askryed a nomber of horsemen..vppon the poynct of syx thousand. 1600 Holland Livy 177 There were upon two thousand & five hundred taken alive. 1660 Nicholas Papers (Camden) IV. 226 To pay mee my allowance..as it was regulated upon three years since.

    4. Denoting collateral position; esp. with side, hand, † half; beam (of a ship), point (of the compass); north, south, etc.; right, left; = on prep. 4.
    See also border v. 5, touch v. 14, verge v.¹ 2 b.

(a) c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7929 Southsex..& Middelsex..marchen vpon Kent. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) vi. 22 Mesopotamy also marchez apon þe desertes of Araby. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 354 For we [Scots] are so lodged vpon England, that we may..enter which way we lust. 1586– [see neighbour v. 1, 2]. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 31 Wpon the coste of the Lenox lyes Argyle. 1624 Heywood Gunaik. ii. 92 That part..which butted upon the west. 1681 Dryden Span. Friar i. i, Upon the skirts Of Arragon our squandered troops he rallies. 1786 W. Thomson Watson's Philip III (1839) 311 An island bordering upon Istria. 1842 R. I. Wilberforce Rutilius & Lucius 106 Behind they abutted upon the grounds of Milo. 1873 T. W. Higginson Oldport Days v. 115 The house was close upon the water.

(b) 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2069 Þe brode ȝatez [were] Vnbarred, & born open, vpon boþe halue. 1375 Barbour Bruce xi. 175 Schir Gylys de Argente he set Vpon ane half, his renȝe to get. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3795 We are with Sarazenes be-sett appone sere halfes! c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 291 I se the Firmament fair vpon ather syde. 1565 Golding Ovid's Met. i. 1 b, Twoo Zones do cut the Heauen vpon the righter syde. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. ii. (1586) 71 b, A rich grounde, leuell, and lying vpon the Sunne. 1644 in Eng. Hist. Rev. Apr. (1913) 341 My Lord Ambassador beinge plac'd..upon his left hand about three Seates distante from him. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. i. ii. 4 Upon what Point of the Compass the Object beareth from you. 1739 C. Labelye Piers Westm. Bridge 5 When the Wind is upon any Point of the Compass between the South and the West. 1791 Smeaton Edystone L. §76 A vessel steering to Foy will have the wind upon her beam. 1823 F. Clissold Ascent Mt. Blanc 11 [It] shelved down, upon our right, in one plane of smooth rock.

transf. 1656 Cromwell Sp. in Burton Diary (1828) I. p. clxix, It was never so upon the thriving hand. 1718 Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 362 May the kindgom of our Lord be upon the growing hand. 1852 Bailey Festus (ed. 5) 252 To you, dear ass, upon the sire's side, To you, sir steed, I'm on the dam's allied.

    b. transf. Indicating the side, part, cause, etc., espoused or supported by the agent.

c 1430 Chev. Assigne 219 ‘Go we forthe, fader,’ quod þe childe, ‘vpon goddes halfe!’ 1445 in Anglia XXVIII. 256 [They] seyen the duke of yorke hath god vpon his side. 1595 Shakes. John i. i. 34 Till she had kindled France and all the world, Vpon the right and party of her sonne. 1611 B. Jonson Catiline v. M 2, The least man, that falles vpon our party This day.., Shall walke at pleasure, in the tents of rest. 1821 Shelley Hellas 440 Famine, and Pestilence, And Panic, shall wage war upon our side!

    c. Engaged in assailing, or about to attack.

1568 Grafton Chron. II. 291 The French men were so mingled among their enemies, that some time there was fiue men vpon one Gentleman. c 1670 Wood Life (O.H.S.) I. 114 Captain Walter had six rebells upon him, and..fought it out so..gallantly that [etc.]. 1701 W. Wotton Hist. Rome 269 The Senate heard that Severus was just upon them. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 270 He saw five Men upon him. 1721 ― Mem. Cavalier (1840) 211 We are all undone, the roundheads are upon us. 1860 All Year Round No. 66. 384 Certain manœuvres, which had just time to result.., when the squall was upon us. 1885 Manch. Exam. 10 June 4/7 The crisis..is upon us at last.

    † d. Having a tendency to be; verging towards; bordering on. Freq. with little. Obs.
    Cf. to run upon s.v. run v. 70 b.

1707 Ld. Raby in Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) II. 43 He is..a little upon y⊇ dirty as all y⊇ Poles are. 1716 in London Gaz. No. 5438/4 Lost.., a large Brilliant.., a little upon the Blue. 1738 Swift Pol. Conversat. 180, I think he's a little upon the silly, or so. 1740 tr. De Mouhy's Fort. Country Maid (1741) I. 35 A Countenance much upon the Wheedler and the Devotee.

    5. Within the bounds or limits of; in; = on prep. 5. (Cf. upo' prep., quot. 1773.)

13.. Sir Beues (A.) 4180 [He] karf..Doun riȝt þe viser wiþ is swerd And half þe her vpon is berd. 1605 Shakes. Lear iv. vi. 256 Seeke him out vpon the English party. 1639 Laud Wks. (1853) V. 364, I find by the bishop's certificate, that he hath constantly resided upon his episcopal houses. 1765 Museum Rust. IV. 449 His country seat, possessed and lived upon by his ancestors for several generations. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's xxii, Miss Clara..just sitting upon the wind of a door [= in a draught].

    † b. Denoting ratio between two numbers, etc.; = per prep. III. 2, in prep. 4. Obs. rare.

1622 Malynes Anc. Law-Merch. 195 In regarde of lecage of tenne or fifteene vpon the hundreth. 1739 C. Labelye Piers Westm. Bridge 76 The Ascent..not being above one Foot perpendicular upon 20 Feet slope. Ibid. 78.

    6. Denoting the day of an occurrence, regarded as a unit of time. Freq. also with night, morn, morrow, eve(n, time, † tide, † hour, occasion, etc. = on prep. 6.
    once upon a time: see once adv. 4.

a 1300 Cursor M. 19810 Apon a dai at þe tid o non An angel com. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 37 Unto Kyngeston..Com S. Dunstan, opon a Sonenday. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 3 Now upon this tyde Men se the world..so diversed, That [etc.]. ? a 1400 Arthur 539 And sone after vpon an owr He hurde of Mordred. 1424 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 36 Writen at Sarum apon þe seynt Michell euen. a 1470 Ibid. 111 My wyf and y welbe with you uppon Ester. 1535 Coverdale Job i. 6 Now vpon a tyme..the seruauntes of God came and stode before the Lorde. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utopia (1895) 15 Vpon a tyme, when tidynges came [etc.]. 1631 Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 471 Once euery yeare vpon the same day of his Anniuerse. 1663 Extr. St. Papers Friends Ser. ii. (1911) 183 [They] were all brought before the mayor vpon the 28th of December. 1672 T. Godden Cath. No Idolators 35 Would an Impartial Reader (to use Dr. Taylor's expression upon another occasion) say [etc.]? 1711 Addison Spect. No. 164 ¶4 Upon the Day on which..their Marriage was to have been solemnized. 1771 E. Griffith Hist. Lady Barton III. 285, I wrote upon the instant, but..cannot recollect what I said. a 1821 Keats Eve St. Mark 1 Upon a Sabbath-day it fell. 1868 Tennyson Lucretius 24 He..woke upon a morn That mock'd him.

    † b. In, at, or during (any period of time); in the course of; = on prep. 6 b. Obs.

(a) 1390 Gower Conf. I. 314 [He] made upon the derke nyht..Gret fyr. c 1400 Destr. Troy 8684 Wyth myche dole vppon dayes & on derke nightes, Sum walt into wodenes. 1427–9 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 364 To make a Toure to be uppon day light a redy Bekyn. 1529 in Leadam Star Chamb. Cases (Selden) II. 34 Thomas..directed..the hole recordys..vppon a yere past or more to vs..to examen the same. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xix, Vpon the euening the fire..got into their pouder. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iv. i. 35 Vpon the Heauy midle of the night. 1661 Act 13 Chas. II, c. 9 §27 No man in or belonging to the Fleet shall sleep upon his Watch. 1673 in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 247 Offences committed by them the same day upon the said election. [1820 Keats St. Agnes vi, Upon the honey'd middle of the night.]

(b) 1591 Sir H. Unton Corr. (Roxb.) 103 Upon nowe advertisement is come from the Kinge. 1638 Ld. Digby Lett. Conc. Relig. (1651) 19 To tell you what upon the present..occurreth to me.

    † c. Within the space of (a specified period of time); = on prep. 6 c. Obs.

c 1375 Cursor M. 510 (Fairf.), Be iournays qua ga hit may, fourty myle a-pon a day. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 704 Vp on a day he gat hym moore moneye Than þat the person gat in Monthes tweye. 1457–8 in Acta Dom. Conc. II. Introd. 15 He sall warne thame to pass to the kings chapell..apone xl dais. 1459 Rolls of Parlt. V. 369/2 A commaundement..to be redy to come..upon a day warnyng. ? a 1585 Montgomerie Misc. Poems vii. 35 Rome wes not biggit all vpon ane day. 1674 Reg. Privy Council Scot. Ser. iii. IV. 299 [The lords] ordaines letters of horning upon 48 houres to be direct for that effect.

    d. At the point of; close on, touching on; = on prep. 6 d.
    Usu. with vbl. n. or gerundive: see group (a). upon the point of: see point n.¹ D. 5.

(a) 1426 Audelay Poems 6 Have mynd apon ȝoure endyng of the payns of helle. 1491 Acta Dom. Conc. (1839) 205/1, I am apone my saling and may nocht lang tary. 1530 Palsgr. 423/1, I am upon my lieng downe, as a woman that is nere her tyme. 1604 Dekker Honest Wh. xii, Wife. Comes the Duke this way? Pio. Hee's upon comming, mistris. 1611 Cotgr., Emmati,..faded, vpon withering. 1669–70 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 310, I intended more, but the post also is upon going. 1707 Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) II. 10 The King of Prussia is upon sending to the..Library all the..medals. a 1774 Goldsm. Hist. Greece I. 247 The truce..was just upon expiring. 1842 C. Whitehead R. Savage i. i, I was just upon commending them to a lower place.

ellipt. 1899 Daily News 12 Sept. 4/7 The new..recreation garden..is just upon finished.

(b) 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xix. 22 As wee were vpon our departure. 1626 Breton Fantasticks D 3 b, Few that are merry, but..wenches that are vpon the mariage. 1632 Massinger Maid of Hon. v. i, Signor Adorni is return'd! now upon entrance! 1666 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 197 The Smyrna fleet..is upon returne. c 1680– [see go n.1 8 d]. 1722 Pope Lett. (1735) I. 274 I'm told you are all upon Removal very speedily. 1775 S. J. Pratt Liberal Opin. cxxxiii. (1783) IV. 206 Our old rector will make a subject by and by;..he's certainly upon the go [= dying]. 1797 M. Robinson Walsingham IV. 318 The good fellow is upon the go; his life is not worth six weeks' purchase. 1820 Byron Mar. Fal. iv. ii. 66 Doge. How goes the night? Ber. F. Almost upon the dawn.

    † e. By or for (a specified time). Obs.

1510 Brasenose Coll. Doc. (MS.) A3 43 To make me a Dublett and a Jacket upon Crystmasse next comyng.

    † f. For the extent or period of. Obs.
    Cf. upon a stretch s.v. stretch n. 6 a.

a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VII, 49 b, Which sickenes contynued vpon fyue monethes.

    7. a. On the occasion of; = on prep. 7.
    In freq. use c 1670–c 1825. Group (b) illustrates obs. usages.
    See also occasion n. 10 b, sight n. 4 b, 6 b, sudden n. 1 b, suddenty 1 b, view n. 16.

(a) c 1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. i. 981 Vp-on this hir letter hath she sent. 1492 Hen. VII in G. Griffiths Hist. Tong (ed. 2) 224 To thentent that uppon convercacion we may shewe unto you our minde. 1515 in Leadam Star Chamber Cases (Selden) II. 79 The saide artificers seyne that by the grauntis made uppon their first corporacion it appereth that [etc.]. 1566 Drant Horace, Sat. i. iii. B v, His maister hangs him straighte upponte. 1596 Bacon Use Com. Law (1635) 2 If one kill another upon a suddaine quarrell. 1662 Culpeper in Extr. St. Papers Friends Ser. ii. (1911) 152 note, I haue some Quakers..in prison which I doe intend to let goe upon taking the Oath. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 74 The Banyans repairing to the Suburbs upon Tattoo. 1705 Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. iii. Pain 13 Was ever..any Fencer, worth the naming, heard to groan upon a Hit? 1712 Addison Spect. No. 369 ¶17 They..were cast into Hell upon their Disobedience. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) II. 309 Upon comparing the various animals..with each other, we shall find [etc.]. 1817 Mill Brit. India II. 450 They retired upon the brisk advancement of the grenadiers. 1841 Lane Arab. Nts. I. 101 Upon which they raised their heads, and answered as before. 1890 Ld. Esher in Law Times' Rep. LXIII. 734/1 [He] shall be released from that obligation upon the Director undertaking the case.

(b) 1510 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 307/1 The slauchter..committit be him apoun subdante. 1577 Holinshed Chron. I. 35/1 Cesar..writeth that immediatly vpon knowledge had..he woulde inuade Brytaine. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. 269 The Silly-how, that sometimes is found about the heads of children upon their birth. 1707 Hearne Collect (O.H.S.) II. 63 Y⊇ sneaking Villains, like Worms upon a Rain, crawl'd out. 1726 Swift Gulliver ii. v, Yet often, upon a pinch, I was forced to work like a common mariner. 1736 Butler Anal. i. iv, Persons may be betrayed into wrong behaviour upon surprise. 1763 Johnson in Boswell 25 June, He has no tenants..who will follow him to the field upon an emergency.

    b. Immediately after; following on.

1390 Gower Conf. II. 71 Whan that he this tale herde, Hou upon that the king ansuerde With Hercules he moste feighte. 1496 Coventry Leet Bk. 573 And what persones þat be absent þat day vppon warnyng shall pay xij d. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cxlviii. 177 [They] conquered..townes and castels one vpon the other by force. 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 45 So soone vpon supper.., Sleepe maketh yll..digestion. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 384, I am content..to render it, Vpon his death, vnto the Gentleman. 1614 Day Festivals ix. (1615) 268 Whether the Fault were unawares, or upon advisement. 1645 Bp. Hall Rem. Discontents 80 After he had upon ten years siege, taken the rich City. 1688 Holme Armoury ii. 181/2 The bite or sting of a Scorpion is present Death if..[Swine] drink upon it. 1711 G. Hickes Two Treat. Chr. Priesth. (ed. 3) II. 30, I have wrote..not rashly or by chance, but upon thought. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. xiii. 276 Immediately upon this fortunate supply they stood to the westward. 1780 Mirror No. 95, I left my own house immediately upon the discovery I made. 1814 Jane Austen Mansf. Park xi, Coming, as it generally did, upon a week's previous inactivity. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 539 This plan had been dropped upon the detection of the Rye House Plot. 1883 Howells in Harper's Mag. Dec. 79 The silence which his friend has absent-mindedly let follow upon his last words.

ellipt. 1818 Colebrooke Import Colonial Corn 183 The capital should at first be less productive if,..upon a balance, this become more fruitful.

    † c. As soon as. Obs.^—1

1475 Paston Lett. III. 128, I woll, uppon as I heer from yow, come to yow in alle hast possible.

    † 8. Denoting physical arrangement, order, etc., = in (masses, a row, etc.). Cf. on prep. 8. rare.

c 1300 Havelok 892 Als he lep þe kok vn-til, He shof hem alle upon an hyl. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1991 The flode..Rose vppon rockes [= in high masses] as any ranke hylles. c 1450 Lovelich Merlin 1474 For thinges that ben past, j knowe, And thinges that ben comeng vppon a rowe. 1665 J. Webb Stone-Heng 68 Nor [could] these have continued upon such a direct line, as still some of them seem to do.

    9. In (a particular or specified manner, etc.); = on prep. 9.
    See also cross n. 29, head n.¹ 35 d, loft n. 2 a, sly n. 2 (a), square a. 12 a, b.

c 1300 Havelok 468 Godard..tok þe maydnes bothe samen, Al-so it were up-on hiis gamen. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 25 Bot þat þise lowed men vpon Inglish tellis, Right story can me not ken, þe certeynte what spellis. a 1400–50 Alexander 3300 Like to þis werke, Þat þis coppis opon kell⁓wyse knytt in þe woȝes. c 1400 Destr. Troy 7359 There only was ordant of Ectors dethe, With all Soteltie to serche opon sere wise. c 1450 Holland Howlat 828 The lordis leuch vpoun loft. c 1518 Skelton Magnyf. 497 Chanons can not counterfet but vpon thre. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. i. i. 2 It was vpon this fashion bequeathed me by will. 1628 Feltham Resolves ii. lxxxii. 233 Though he doth forbeare to call for it, yet I beleeue, vpon the like, thou owest him. 1641 Earl of Monmouth tr. Biondi's Civil Wars iii. 146 Charles de Lens..was slaine upon cold bloud.

    † b. upon new = anew adv. 1. Obs.^—1

1399 Gower Praise of Peace 315 Every dai it chaungeth uppon newe.

    10. a. Occupied with; engaged in; employed on; = on prep. 10 b.
    For further illustration of group (b) see guard n. 5 a, patrol n. 1, sentry n. 3, watch n. 6 b.

(a) 13.. Seuyn Sages (W.) 190 He was ever upon his bok, And to his lore tok gret kepe. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 197 Vp on this daunce, amonges othere men, Daunced a squier biforn Dorigen. 1478 Acta Dom. Conc. (1839) 19/1 Þe lordis..declarit þat þai wald nocht sit apoun na summondis quhil þe said xj day. 1612 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. I. 608 The Electour Palatine is now at the Haghe upon his voyage into England. 1634 W. Tirwhyt tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. I) 154 Those who carve in Brasse or Marble waxe old upon their workes. 1659 Vane in Burton's Diary (1828) III. 171 Consider what it is we are upon, a Protector in the office of Chief Magistrate. 1690 Locke Govt. i. xi. §146 When Mankind were but one People,..and were upon Building a City together. 1705 Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) I. 30 He designs to carry on the work, being now upon a III{supd} volume. 1709 Swift Adv. Relig. Wks. 1755 II. i. 100 Neither am I at present upon a wild speculative project. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 563 They seemed to be upon their own affairs. 1741 Richardson Pamela I. 163 Well, Jacob, what do you stare at? Pray mind what you're upon. 1784 in B. Ward Dawn Cath. Revival (1909) I. iv. 81 That they may be upon the mission all unius moris in Domino. 1859 Dickens T. Two Cities ii. i, He was never absent..unless upon an errand.

(b) 1577– [see guard n. 5 a]. 1647–8 in Eng. Hist. Rev. Oct. (1917) 573 There was onely townesmen upon the guarde, and those expressed great joy to see Sir Hugh. 1678 Butler Hud. iii. i. 459 He was upon pursuit, To take you somewhere hereabout. 1681 Viscountess Campden in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 56 Lady Skidmore..was at Mr. Conisby's house upon a visette. a 1716 South Serm. (1717) VI. 378 No Man would spend the Night upon the Sentry, who [etc.].

    b. Denoting state or condition. Cf. on prep. 10.
    See also behaviour 3, by n.² 2 b, case n.¹ 2 b, content n.² 2, duty 5 e, fret n.² 6, loan n.¹ 3, loose a. B. 1, oath n. 1, parole n. 1, trial n. 12. The uses placed under (b) are obsolete.

(a) c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 272/39 Ich am a man opon mi seruiz, and noman serui i-nelle Bote mi louerd. a 1400–50 Alexander 42 He was wyse enoȝe wirdis to reken..of ledes opon lyfe. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. lxxvii. [lxxiii.] 229 All suche..were styll in theyr owne houses vpon a redynes. c 1580 in Eng. Hist. Rev. July (1914) 517 You must kepe good wache by night and be upon your owne kepinge. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xi. 13 b, The Caddy..keepeth the town vpon tribute vnder the king of Alger. 1628 Feltham Resolves ii. iv. 7 Their difference is neuer so much vpon the view, as then. 1657 Earl of Monmouth tr. Paruta's Pol. Disc. 35 Large Plains in Italy, wherein he might fight the Romans upon great advantage. 1683 Moxon Mech. Exerc., Printing xiii. ¶1 It must with the Chissel be split upon a good Blood-Red-Heat in that place. 1706 Farquhar Recruiting Officer i. i, A Granadeer..absent upon Furlow. 1769 Goldsm. Hist. Rome (1786) II. 373 He never missep hitting..the fleetest animals, though upon full speed. 1788 C. Reeve Exiles I. 181 Poor Albert..had been upon the fret ever since I left him. 1801 tr. Gabrielli's Myst. Husb. III. 86 The kettle was just upon the boil. 1823 Southey Hist. Penins. War I. 686 The fate of the continent was upon the hazard.

(b) 1425 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 290 For lake of Parsons..children have deghed uncristend..and wymen opon chyld perechyd. 1535 Coverdale 1 Chron. xiii. 17 Yf ye come vpon disceate, and to be mine aduersaries. 1604 Shakes. Oth. i. i. 100 And now in madnesse..Vpon malitious knauerie, dost thou come To start my quiet. 1707 J. Stevens tr. Quevedo's Com. Wks. (1709) 45 Finding a Door upon the jar. a 1715 Burnet Own Time iii. xiv. (1900) II. 357 Lord Russell..was upon all the secret of his [sc. Rumsey's] going beyond sea. 1740 tr. De Mouhy's Fort. Country Maid (1741) I. 269, I had left the Door upon the Jarr.

    c. Indicating a sphere of activity or existence.
    Partly with implication of locative sense: cf. 1 b.

1487 Cely Papers (Camden) 159 Mony goyth now uppon the bursse at a xjs iij{supd} ob. the nobull. 1589 Nashe Pasquil's Ret. 1, I little thought to meete thee so suddainly upon the Exchange. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1650) I. 26 One may hear 7. or 8. sorts of toungs spoken upon their Bourses. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 48 ¶4, I was curious to observe the Reception these Gentlemen met with upon Change. 1712 ― Spect. No. 266 ¶2 This Creature is what they call newly come upon the Town. 1763 Johnson in Boswell 25 June, A Merchant upon the 'Change of London. 1822 W. Irving Braceb. Hall vii. 59 A dashing young ensign, just come upon the town. 1838 D. Jerrold Men of Char. II. 255 Again was John Applejohn upon the world. 1882 C. Pebody Eng. Journalism xi. 79 He found employment upon the Morning Post.

    d. With ns. denoting activity or progress.
    See also gallop n. 1, gog², hunt n.² 1 b, listen n. 2, long run, scramble n. 1, trot n. 1 d.

1645 Sir H. Slingsby Diary (1836) 176 Our horse, upon a Gallop without once drawing up. 1662 J. Wilson Cheats i. i, I was out t'other Night upon the Randan. 1678 in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 50 Lord Rochester hath bin att the gates of death, and so penitent that he is upon an amendment. 1728 Vanbr. & Cib. Prov. Husb. v. i, You will every Day see hundreds as fast upon the Gallop, as she is. 1768 Goldsm. Good-n. Man. i. i, Everything upon the waste. 1801 Farmer's Mag. Jan. 105 Grain of all kinds continues upon the advance. 1877 Spurgeon Serm. XXIII. 505 The leaves are just upon the turn, and the fall of the year is close at hand.

    e. Denoting situation with a portion of time or space.

1632 Sir T. Hawkins tr. Mathieu's Unhappy Prosperitie 76 His life was now almost wholly wasted, he is upon the last hour. 1680 R. L'Estrange 20 Sel. Colloq. Erasm. 258 Observing the Woman to Yawn and just upon her last Stretch, he put [etc.]. 1694– [see tack n.1 6]. 1720 De Foe Capt. Singleton xi. (1840) 187 We being then upon our starboard tack.

    11. Indicating the basis or reason of reliance, trust, etc.
    See also count v. 9, depend v. 5, hang v. 13 b (quot. 1817), rely v.¹ 5, rest v. 5 b, stand v. 78 c, stay v.² 2 b, 3 b, suspend v. 9, trist v. 1, trust v. 1.

c 1200 Ormin 16724 And wha se lefeþþ upponn himm, Þatt mann iss all unndemedd. a 1225 Ancr. R. 280 Uor þet stonding is treowe trust of herdi bileaue uppon Godes strencðe. c 1250 Prayer to Virgin 18 in O.E. Misc. 196 Al min hope is uppon þe. c 1315 Shoreham v. 51 Four manere ioyen hy hedde here Of hyre sone so lef an dere, Wytnes opan þe godspelle. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. i. 117 Þei leueden vppon hym þat lyed in þis manere. 1382 Wyclif Isaiah vii. 2 Siria restede vp on Effraym. 1509 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 286/2 Ony proclamatioun..anent the intercommonyn and sitting apoun the Inglismenis assouerans. 1574 R. Scot Platform Hop Gard. 2, I, for my part, relye not upon other mens opinions. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xx. 24 [He] resolued [= relied] vppon so smal an assuraunce of the Bascha. 1604 Shakes. Oth. i. iii. 295 My life vpon her faith. Honest Iago, My Desdemona must I leaue to thee. 1640 Laud Wks. (1853) III. 279 His Majesty's goodness was confident upon the fidelity of his subjects. 1767 Gooch Treat. Wounds I. 241 It is fallacious, and by no means to be depended upon, as a Criterion. 1796 Jane Austen Pride & Prej. i, Depend upon it,..I will visit them all. 1823 Southey Hist. Penins. War I. 715 They counted upon succour from San Juan's troops. 1850 Tennyson In Mem. xxxii. 7 Then one deep love doth supersede All other,..And rests upon the Life indeed.

    b. According to; in agreement or accordance with; on the model of.

(a) 1390 Gower Conf. II. 108, I not if that be Sompnolence, Bot upon youre conscience, Min holi fader, demeth ye. c 1400 Sowdone Bab. 105 Comaundinge hem vppon her legeaunce To come. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxxiii, Quat is thi rawunsun opon ryȝte, The sothe thou me sayn? c 1440 Jacob's Well 66 To make amendys, fully in trewe restitucyoun, vp-on þi powere. 1516 in Acta Parlt. Scot. (1875) XII. 37/1 He..behavis him swa towart..ȝoure brothir..that apon Ressoune na man sall be discontentit of his gyding. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xviii. 20 b, The king..was set at libertie, vpon an accord and alliaunce which hee made. 1664 Extr. St. Papers Friends iii. (1912) 226, I inform'd my Lord..that vpon my certaine knowledge a greate number would meete..att such a house. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 54 Nothing remaining of it but only what is taken upon Chronicle. 1702 Vanbrugh False Friend i. i, I find you much upon my taste in this matter. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) VII. 373 Here Mr. Belford gives the substance of it upon his memory. 1867 Lowell Fitz Adam's Story 464 An honest cord [of wood] in Jethro still would fail By a good foot upon the Deacon's scale.

(b) a 1225 Leg. Kath. 994 Hwi schulde he forhohien to wurðen to þet þing Þet is iwend [= formed] upon him? 1563 Shute Archit. B iv, This piller [is]..made by the Ionians vpon the Simetrie of a strong man. 1776 Ann. Reg. 148 A rifle gun upon a new construction. 1790 W. Wrighte Grotesque Archit. 11 The four minarets at the angles bring the plan upon a square of forty feet. 1791 Smeaton Edystone L. §85 Upon these ideas I drew up..the following plan. 1863 M. Howitt tr. F. Bremer's Greece I. viii. 264 The new constitution of Greece is formed very much upon that of France. 1882 C. Pebody Eng. Journalism xxii. 172 The Society papers..are to some extent modelled upon the Reviews.

    c. Indicating the ground, basis, occasion, or reason of an action, opinion, etc.; = on prep. 11.
    In very frequent use from c 1525. In group (b) with allusion to literal uses (sense 1).

(a) 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 179 A symple knycht may nocht lede a baroun..apon his sauf condyt. a 1500 in C. Trice-Martin Chanc. Proc. (1904) 4 Uppon untrue verydyte yoven in London ther lieth none atteynt. 1515 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 403/2 The slauchter..committit apoun forthocht felony. 1554–5 in Feuillerat Revels Q. Mary (1914) 170 In a redines to serve vpon further warnynge. 1584 R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. x. i. (1886) 143 Those witches that make men beleeve they can prophesie upon dreames. 1602 W. S. Thomas Ld. Cromwell v. iv, The great Lord Cromwell arreasted vpon treason! 1647–8 in Eng. Hist. Rev. Oct. (1917) 569 How..Cholmeley came first to be imployed in the Parliament service, and upon what grounds hee quitt the same. 1697 Walsh Life V, ¶26 in Dryden Virgil, He has solv'd more Phænomena of Nature upon sound Principles, than Aristotle in his Physics. 1722 De Foe Plague (1754) 14 Upon these Arguments my Brother chang'd my Resolutions again. 1747 W. Gould Eng. Ants Pref., Upon this Reason my Lord Bacon does not approve of the historical Method of writing in Philosophy. 1787 Whitaker Mary Q. Scots Vind. I. 62 They thus condemn the Queen..upon letters unauthenticated by the producers. 1827 Scott Chron. Canongate Introd., Invernahyle obtained from the Chevalier his prisoner's freedom upon parole. 1846 Chambers' Jrnl. VI. 280/2 Upon the most insubstantial of pretexts. 1872 Liddon Elem. Relig. i. 16 The most intellectual Gnostics were Sensualists; Sensualists upon a theory and with deliberation.

(b) a 1400– [see found v.2 4]. 1565 Sir R. Maitland in Maitland Folio MS. 23 Grund all thy doing vpon suthfastnes. 1573– [see build v. 6 b]. 1672 T. Godden Catholicks No Idolaters 23 This is the major Proposition of his Syllogism, and if this fail, the Charge he builds upon it, must needs fall. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 9 ¶8 Our Modern celebrated Clubs are founded upon Eating and Drinking. 1814 Jane Austen Mansf. Park xlii, He particularly built upon a very happy..autumn there this year. 1844 A. Beresford-Hope Ess. 111 This..does give us very different ground to go upon. 1878 Hopps Princ. Relig. iii. 13 Upon this great truth..we base all our hopes.

    † d. Of (a cause of death or illness). Obs.

c 1420 Brut 344 Mony a worthi man yn þat viage deid vpon þe Flix. 1510 in Leadam Star Chamber Cases (Selden) II. 73 Vppon the seid enprisonement the same John..deyed within xij howres. 1600 Holland Livy 1264 Upon which fracture he died thirtie daies after. 1645 Sir H. Slingsby Diary (1836) 163 Y⊇ Gentlewoman y{supt} had lived in it dead upon Grief. 1696 A. Telfair New Confut. Sadd. 10 Which frightned him so much, that he fell sick upon it immediately.

    e. Indicating means of subsistence or existence, or an article of food furnishing sustenance.
    Sometimes = ‘after having taken or consumed’: see (c).

(a) 1457 Harding Chron. in Eng. Hist. Rev. Oct. (1912) 747 His lyfelode exceded noght all clere An hundreth marke to leue vpon in dede. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon iii. 98 We have loste our store of vytaylles, so that we have noo thynge to lyve upon. 1564 Child-Marr. 125 Aspshawe is a very poore man, and liveth apon his neibours. 1583– [see live v.1 2]. 1599 B. Jonson Ev. Man out of Hum. Descr. Char., A Thred-bare Sharke. One that..lives upon lendings. 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa v. 249 Monasteries..maintained vpon the common beneuolence of the citie. 1625 Burges Pers. Tithes 45 All liuing vpon Fishing. 1713 [see live v.1 3]. 1884 Pall Mall G. 9 Sept. 3/1 The lady did not indeed say that she lived with her father and mother, but she lived upon them. 1885 Law Times Rep. LII. 651/1 He earned nothing, and he lived upon some money of mine.

(b) c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. x. 76 Til May hit wol suffice vppon to feede. 1571 Digges Pantom. Pref. B j, Suche two footed Moules and Todes whom..nature hath ordayned to..suck vpon the muck. 1600 Pory tr. Leo's Africa vi. 276 They liue vpon the flesh of Ostriches and camels. 1678 Wanley Wond. Lit. World v. i. §94. 467/2 'Tis thought he surfeited upon Melons. 1713 Steele Guard. No. 34 He..breakfasted upon toast and ale. 1743 P. Francis tr. Horace, Sat. ii. iii. 124 While Moths upon his rotting Carpets fed. 1818 G. S. Faber Horæ Mosaicæ II. 281 If the Dominical Supper be a feast upon a sacrifice. 1832 H. Martineau Life in Wilds ii. 26 The grass it fed upon. 1885 Manch. Exam. 16 June 5/1 M. Henze fed his prize oxen upon silage.

ellipt. 1717 Prior Alma iii. 243 Was ever Tartar fierce or cruel, Upon the Strength of Water-Gruel. 1737 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 109 A young Horse may look pretty sleek upon Hay only. 1897 Meredith Amazing Marriage i, The clergyman,..renouncing strong drinks, because he found that he ‘cursed better upon water’.

(c) 1663 Boyle Usef. Exp. Nat. Philos. ii. vi. 185 Though..[it] did make her sickish, especially, when she slept upon it. 1829 Scott Jrnl. 5 July, So to roost upon a crust of bread and a glass of small beer, my usual supper.

    † f. At (an expense, cost, etc.). Obs.

c 1400 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 3799 Al þe bachelerie..he nom in is compaynie..vp [v.rr. vp on, vppon] is coust. 1476 Acta Auditorum (1839) 49/1 Þare to remain apoun þare awin expenss. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge ii. 1157 Many shyps were made vpon the kynges cost. 1563 Ref. Privy Council Scot. I. 239 To commande thame to warde, to remane thairin upon thair awne expense. 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. 396 He had buylded vpon his owne costes and charges the sepulchres and tumbes. 1674 Reg. Privy Counc. Scot. IV. 278 A mudwall rowme..built upon his owne coast. 1711 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 124 Each company..was subsisted upon the cost of every captain for three months.

    g. Denoting security of a loan, etc.

1474 Caxton Chesse (1883) 121 The besant..was holden & gaged vpon an ymage. 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. Bb i b, No man will one peny lende upon it. 1611 Bible Neh. v. 4 Wee haue borrowed money..vpon our lands and vine⁓yards. 1677 A. Yarranton Eng. Improv. 7 Moneys lent upon Goods at very easie Interest. 1707 Lond. Gaz. No. 4333/8 They will..Lend Money upon Tallies or other good Securities, at 5 l. per Cent. 1742 Kames Decis. Crt. Sess. (1799) 40 The money is secured..upon land. 1791 Boswell Johnson (1904) I. 328 Security being taken upon the property. 1861 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 36 He assigns 1000 marks..to his son's wife, secured upon the Swiss possessions of his house. 1868 Rogers Pol. Econ. iv. 43 If [a banker]..issues notes upon no property at all, the issue is fraudulent. 1885 Act 48–49 Vict. c. 54 §11 Any mortgage or charge duly created..upon the profits of any benefice.

    † h. On condition of. Obs.

1516 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 422/2 The kingis grace dischargis thaim apone thair remaining in ward for the said errour. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iv. v. 36 Vpon my Blessing I command thee goe. 1626 in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 199 Maister Lappage doth..promise that hee will continew his ministry..upon true payment and receivinge the afforesaid allowance. 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacræ iii. iii. §5 If it were suitable to Gods nature to promise life to man upon obedience.

    † i. Out of; with; by the use of. Obs. rare.

1553 T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 42 He did not make the wife vppon the same claie, whereof he made man. 1683 Moxon Mech. Exerc., Printing ii. ¶2 That his Letter be Cast upon good Mettal, that it may last the longer.

    j. In many phrases, as upon..accord, account (of), composition, condition, design, distrust, envy, foot, fraud, head, lease, matter, purpose, score, shame, suspicion, trust, whole, for which see the ns.
    12. At the risk or with the certainty of incurring or suffering (a pain, penalty, etc.); on peril of; = on prep. 12.
    See also pain n.¹ 1 b, penalty n. 2 d.

c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame iii. 1570 That he shuld fast goon Vpon the peyn to be blynde. c 1420 Contin. Brut 384 Þe King commaunded to..late hem passe yn pees, vpon deth. Ibid. 385 [He] chargyd ham, vpon her lyf, to kepe wel the toun and þe Castell. 1480 Caxton Descr. Brit. 9 Walsshmen shold not passe that dyche with wepen vpon a grete payne. 1540 Acts Privy Council (1837) VII. 21 To temperate his tongue hereafter upon adventure of further punishement. 1553 W. Cholmeley Req. & Suite 19 in Camden Misc. (1853) II, Commaundyng..the Aldermen, upon the losse of their auctoritie and office,..to see [etc.]. 1596 Edward III, i. i. 70 With threats, Vppon a penaltie, inioynd to come. 1603 Parsons 2nd Pt. Three Convers. Eng. xii. 625 The Duke protesteth the contrary (vpon his death). 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. 126, I have,..upon severe punishment, inhibited the translation of my Alcheron. 1699 Bentley Phal. 439 He order'd every man upon the pain of death to bring in all the money he had.

    13. Indicating that which forms the basis of revenue, profit, fines, taxation, lending, etc.; = on prep. 13.
    See also retire v. 1 e (quot. 1806), tax n.¹ 1.

1466 Acta Auditorum (1839) 4/2 [He] sall..resaue þe soume of mone aucht till him vppoun þe said annuel. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 43 Preamble, So that the seid Erle upon his seid leasses.., do reserve asmuch rentis..as be nowe usuell. 1535 Coverdale Neh. v. 3 Let vs borowe money of the kinge vpon vsury. 1554 in Leadam Star Chamber Cases (Selden) II. 217 They so offending to be payned opon a certen some of money. ? 1677 Petty Pol. Arithm. (1699) 272 Such a part of the full value of their Commodities, as may possibly be lost upon the sale of them. 1719 D'Urfey Pills I. 333 Five hundred Pounds upon the brown Bay still. 1798 Hull Advertiser 24 Mar. 2/3 Insurance upon..outhouses, and upon unthreshed stock therein. 1845 R. W. Hamilton Pop. Education x. 278 How can the State raise the amount? Is it not to be raised upon the people? 1892 Law Times XCIV. 104/1 A commission of over 60 per cent. upon the sums received.

    II. Of motion or direction towards a position, thing or person, state, etc.
    14. Upward so as to place or be on a surface, point, etc. Cf. on prep. 14.

c 1200 Ormin 11959 Þe deofell brohhte Jesu Crist Wiþþutenn o þe temmple Upponn an sæte uppo þe rof. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3899 Moyses ðor made a wirme of bras, And henget heȝe up-on a saft. c 1300 Havelok 1942 He lep up on a stede lith. 13.. Seuyn Sages (W.) 2318 Vpon his palfrai lep Catoun. 1375, 1470–85 [see start v. 1]. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ix. xxx. 384 They came vpon sir launcelot sodenly and vnnethe he myght putte vpon hym his helme. 1535 Coverdale Joel ii. 9 They shal clymme vp vpon the houses. 1627 Drayton Nymphidia xvii, Flye Cranion her Chariottere, Vpon the Coach-box getting. 1639 S. Du Verger tr. Camus' Admir. Events 130 He leapes upon his Mule. 1725 Fam. Dict. s.v. Pears, Mount them one upon another Steeplewise. 1847 Tennyson Princ. iii. 208 To lift the woman's fall'n divinity Upon an even pedestal with man. 1854 H. Miller Sch. & Schm. xxi. 446 A large loligo..had thrown itself high and dry upon the beach.

    b. To or towards a position on a surface, etc.; = on prep. 14.
    Group (b) corresponds to sense 1 c; group (c) illustrates non-physical uses.

(a) c 1200 Ormin 14667 Sniþ itt, alls itt wære an shep, & leȝȝ itt upponn allterr. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3186 On an gold gad ðe name god Is grauen, and leid up-on ðe flod. Ibid. 3949 Vp-on hise ase his sadel he dede. a 1300 Cursor M. 8894 Vnwarli sco sett hir don Apon þis ilk tre. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 921 Some drope of pitee..Vp on vs wrecched wommen lat thou falle. c 1391 ― Astrol. ii. §7 Ley thi label vp-on the same degree of the sonne. c 1400 St. Alexius (Cotton) 257 They hylde water wppon hys hede. c 1430 Two Cookery Bks. 42 Þan take fayre pecez of Brede..vppe⁓on þe Eyroun. 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. iv. iii, Her head sunk down upon her breast. a 1655 Sir T. T. de Mayerne Archimag. Anglo-Gall. No. 84 (1658) 58 Lay this froth upon your sullibub as high as you can. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 611 The various God..draws a Rock upon his dark Abode. 1728 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Triangle, If a Perpendicular be let fall upon the Base of an oblique angled Triangle. 1808 Scott Marm. ii. i, Upon the gale she stooped her side. 1844 J. Jack Hist. of St. Monance xi. 74 The skipper placed upon the table a large wooden caup or platter. 1870 Anderson Missions Amer. Bd. IV. xxvi. 63 The mob rushed forward and trampled spitefully upon it.

ellipt. c 1450 Mirk's Festial i. 5 Sle, sle, opon þe broche, rost hote.

(b) 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 952 Syttyþ dowun vppon ȝoure knees. c 1400 26 Pol. Poems 149/233, I set me doune apon my kne. 1486 Bk. St. Albans b iv b, Softe and layserly fall oppon yowre kneys. 1535 Coverdale Mark xv. 19 [They] fell vpon the kne, & worshipped him. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 209 The said preist..kneillit doune wpoun his knie. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iv. ii. 288 Come on, away, apart vpon our knees. 1837 Sir F. Palgrave Merch. & Friar iv. (1844) 176 The Chancellor, dropping off the Woolsack upon his bended knees. 1876 F. K. Robinson Whitby Gloss. 208, ‘Up-end yourself,’ get upon your legs.

(c) c 1325 Spec. Gy Warw. 995 And anon god putte his fuisoun Vp-on hire mele. 1382 Wyclif Job xxv. 3 Vp on whom shyneth not the liȝt of hym? 1461 Rolls of Parlt. V. 463/2 Takyng upon hym..the Coroune and name of Kyng. 1535 Coverdale Num. vi. 25 The Lorde make his face to shyne vpon the. 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. ii. vi. 210 Whereby they had put themselves..upon great difficulties. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 773 The Nymphs, Companions of th' unhappy Maid, This Punishment upon thy Crimes have laid. 1765 Sterne Tr. Shandy viii. xxi, I fell in love all at once..it burst upon me..like a bomb. 1768 Boswell Lett. (1924) 145, I am thrown upon the wide world again. 1793 T. Beddoes Demonstr. Evid. 79 The magnitudes, being doubled upon themselves, increase so, that [etc.]. 1816 Byron Prisoner of Chillon x, A light broke in upon my brain.

    c. Denoting incidence, seizure, hold, etc.; = on prep. 14 b.

c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2339 Ðo cam iosep swilc rewðe up-on, he dede halle ut ðe toðere gon. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvii. cxv. (Bodl. MS.), Ripe & igadered ere corrupcioune oþer rostinge falle vpon whete. 1530 Palsgr. 748/2, I take holde apon one, jempoygne. 1535 Coverdale Ps. cxiv. 3 The paynes of hell gat holde vpon me. 1535– [see lay v.1 22]. 1546– [see seize v. 9]. 1632 Lithgow Trav. vii. 303 The Venetian Factor seased vpon all. 1665 Extr. St. Papers Friends iii. (1912) 240 There was a full congregation of quakers and the like seised vppon by Sir Francis Clarke sunday last. 1880 J. Payne New Poems 259 A deadly terror got A sudden hold upon her. 1892 H. Lane Differ. Rheum. Dis. (ed. 2) 67 It seems to have taken a firm hold upon the public.

    d. Of the incidence of a blow, stroke, etc.; = on prep. 14 c.

c 1300 Havelok 2734 He..smot him so up-on þe crune, Þat [etc.]. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 2368 Þan hastiliche þe ost ichon Opon Segyn þat smiten anon. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. lx. 516 Sir Tristram gaf hym suche a buffet vpon the helme. 1507 in Leadam Star Chamber Cases (Selden) 253 He sawe..Irton being hurt vppon the hed. 1562 Aberd. Kirk Sess. Rec. (Spalding Cl.) 6 To be puneist with ane palm vpone the hand for ilk falt. 1594 Selimus 1447 Dart Thy smouldring flame Vpon the head of cursed Acomat. 1611 Bible Exod. vii. 17 Behold, I will smite with the rod..vpon the waters. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 9 ¶11 His Neighbour may give him a Kick upon the Shins. 1737 Whiston Josephus, Hist. i. xxi. 13 Many..have stood amazed..when they saw him..shoot the arrow upon the mark. 1813 Scott Rokeby vi. xxv, One stroke, upon the Castle bell, To Oswald rung his dying knell. 1844 Mrs. Browning Drama of Exile 64 This is the Eden lost By Lucifer!..this the sword..That smote upon the forehead. 1881 Besant & Rice Chapl. of Fleet i. viii, The cruel cat falling at every step upon their..bleeding shoulders.

    e. In phrases of the type harm upon harm, torment upon torment, denoting cumulative addition or repetition; = on prep. 14 d.

c 1320 R. Brunne Medit. 865 Þey wounded here, and heped harm vp on harmes. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 346 And so servauntis upon servantis weren char[g]ious to þis hous. c 1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iv. 1336 He had torment opon torment. 1529 S. Fish Supplic. Beggers (1871) 13 The capteyns of his kingdome..haue heped to him benefice vpon benefice. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. i. 91 Why, thou losse vpon losse! 1599 ― Much Ado ii. i. 252 Hudling iest vpon iest, with..impossible conueiance vpon me. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 152 Which heaped vpon them Anathema vpon Anathema. 1699 Evelyn Acetaria App. P 4, Cover the Bottom of the Jar with some Dill,..then a Bed of Nuts; and so stratum upon stratum. 1864 Kingsley Roman & T. 137 Dietrich had had to write letter upon letter. 1882 ‘Ouida’ Maremma I. 90 Centuries upon centuries of carnage..have laid the land bare. 1884 C. F. Woolson in Harper's Mag. Feb. 371 Millions upon millions of violets.

    f. On (a voyage, expedition, mission, etc.); = on prep. 14 e.

1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 648 Or I myhte make my passage To gynnen vp-on my pylgrymage. c 1430 ― Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 12 The kyng procedyng forthe upon his way, kome to the Condyte. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, i. iii. 150 When the vnhappy King..did set forth Vpon his Irish Expedition. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 55 ¶1 A young Fellow..sent upon a long Voyage. 1712 W. Rogers Voy. 324 To encourage our South Sea Company..to go upon some Discovery that way. 1817 Kirby & Sp. Entomol. xvii. II. 77 The rufescent ants do not leave their nests to go upon these expeditions..till [etc.]. 1839 Bailey Festus 232 As on they sped upon their starward course.

    15. Into contact or collision with, esp. by way of attack; against; = on prep. 15.
    See also come v. 51 b, fall v. 70 b, fly v.¹ 8 b, go v. 67 a, lay v.¹ 32 a, set v.¹ 132 a.

a 1300 Cursor M. 24461 Me-thoght moght it [v.r. i] apon him rine,..I suld ha ben all hale. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 1996 Þou schalt ȝif þe first asaut Opon þe Almaundes. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1327 Dido (Fairf.), On a nyght sleping he let hir lye, And staal a-wey vpon [v.r. vnto] his companye. c 1400 Sc. Trojan War ii. 444 Russhande wpone the altare. c 1450 Merlin iii. 56 Whan Vter saugh..the Danes assembled, he sette vpon hem as vigorously or more. c 1500 Melusine lix. 348 Go we vpon our enemyes to helpe & socoure our frendes. 1535 Coverdale 1 Sam. xvii. 35 And whan he wolde haue bene vpon me, I toke him by his beerde. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xix. 22 The Turkes.., vpon whom they of the Castle..gaue an assault. 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. II. 48, I stumbled..vpon a great dung mixen. 1631 E. Pellham Gods Power 2 Wee eight men..were bound for this Greenland aforesaid, to make a voyage upon Whales or Sea-horse. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 299 ¶2 He drew his Sword upon me before he was nine years old. 1782 Cowper Royal George 20 She ran upon no rock. 1801 Strutt Sports & Past. iii. i. 130 The two combatants..were thereby prevented from running their horses upon each other. 1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown i. ix, [They] run plump upon one of the masters as they emerge into the High Street.

ellipt. c 1450 Merlin iii. 56 The kynge seide to his peple, ‘Now vpon hem in all that we may’. 1535 Coverdale 2 Sam. xviii. 14 Not so, I wil vpon him before thy face. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iv. iii. 367 Aduance your standards, & vpon them Lords. 1821 Bryon Sardan. iv. i, Upon them! (Trumpet sounds again.)

fig. 1535– [see rush v.2 6 b, 3 a]. 1887 ‘L. Carroll’ Game of Logic i. 36 Let them Rush upon their Fate!

    16. In the direction of; towards; = on prep. 16. a. In respect of looking, etc.
    See also cast v. 7, front v.¹ 1, gape v. 3, gaze v. 1 b, glare v. 2, laugh v. 4, look v. 1, pore v. 1, see v. 21, smile v. 2 a, squint v. 2.

a 1225 Ancr. R. 56 To kesten kang eien upon ȝunge wummen. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2661 Ðor quiles he seweden [= looked] him up-on, Mani dede bileph un-don. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 5024 Þair bodys sal alle unsemely be,..and ugly, opon to se. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 219 He cast his eye vpon Emelya. 14.. in E.E.P. (1862) 144 Dame ypocryte loke vp-on a boke. 1526 Tindale 1 John i. 1 That which..we have loked apon, and oure hondes have handled. 1581 [see turn v. 48]. 1632 Lithgow Trav. i. 38 Arthur looked vpon me, and I laughed vpon him. 1710 Strype Life & Acts of E. Grindal vii. 70 These Unsuccesses were justly looked upon to proceed from the punishing Hand of Heaven. 1790 Bruce Source of Nile I. 5 We pointed our prow directly..upon Alexandria. 1799 Wordsw. Two April Mornings 19 Matthew..fixing still his eye Upon the eastern mountain-top. 1845 S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. II. 357 The fears of some, the hopes of others, and the attention of all, were now turned upon the young emperor. 1874 Farrar Christ I. 472 He turned His back for a time upon His native land. 1884 Mrs. Oliphant Sir Tom iv, Her gray eyes absolutely flamed upon him.

    b. In respect of movement, etc.

? a 1400 Morte Arth. 262 Thow countez no caas, ne castes no forthire, Bot hurles furthe appone heuede, as thi herte thynkes. c 1400 Destr. Troy 6258 If any stert vpon stray, strike hym to dethe! 1511 Guylforde's Pylgr. (Camden) 21 After .viij. dayes..he come vpon [= appeared to] theym ayen. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 11 [We] were driuen to lee-ward a hundred leagues vpon the Coast of Brazil. 1697 Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. i. B 1, Unless you point directly upon his Vice. 1716 Lond. Gaz. No. 5455/3 Our Fleet..bore down upon them. 1828 in Concanen Rowe v. Brenton (1830) 28 To sink a shaft upon the lode. 1829 Napier Penins. War II. 142 The hospitals..of Salamanca being evacuated upon Lamego, that town was crowded.

    17. † a. In or into (pieces); = on prep. 17 b.

c 1400 Sege Jerusalem 699 Twey apys..Þat renten þe rawe flesche vpon rede peces.

    b. Into, as by penetration; = on prep. 17 a.

1738 Herring in J. Duncombe Lett. (1773) II. 137 The sea, which here indents upon the country.

    18. Unto, to (a person): in reference to descent or (Sc.) marriage; = on prep. 18.

1492 Acta Dom. Conc. (1839) 254/2 His faider..maryit him apoun his sister dochter incontrare his band. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) I. 127 The eldest of hir dochteris wes married upon..Marius. 1596 Bacon Use Com. Law (1635) 32 If this inheritance descend upon a woman. 1667 [see descend v. 9]. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish i, My marriage upon my own cousin, Miss Betty Lanshaw. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xxi, She was married..upon my Uncle Robin.

    19. Into, to, or on (some action, occupation, course, or condition); = on prep. 19.

a 1300 Cursor M. 15580 Alle þe apostels þan bi-gan to fal a-pon a gret. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 30 Thanne upon dissencioun Thei felle. 1435 [see set v.1 114]. 1483 in Acta Dom. Conc. II. Introd. 103 The said schiref put apone the said inquest..persons quhilk war suspect of the law. a 1513 Fabyan Chron. 351 A quest of .xii. Knyghtes of Myddlesex, sworne vpon a iurye. 1581– [see run v. 70 d]. 1607 T. Rogers 39 Art. Pref. §5 Wee set vpon the building of Gods house. 1625– [see fall v. 70 d]. 1658 R. Allestree Whole Duty Man xiv. §22. 300 It puts the child upon shifts, and tricks. 1709 Strype Ann. Ref. I. xxi. 240 Some while..after the entrance of Queen Elizabeth upon her government. 1750 Johnson Rambler No. 1 ¶1 The perplexity of being forced upon choice. 1764 Foote Mayor of G. i. Wks. 1799 I. 165 I advised him to pull off his spurs before he went upon action. 1813 Examiner 17 May 320/1 It put the Church upon the alert. 1847 Wordsw. in Mem. (1851) I. 14 When at school, I..was put upon reading the first six books of Euclid.

    20. Indicating the person or thing that action, feeling, etc., is directed towards or against, or that is influenced or affected by it; = on prep. 20.
    Construed with many verbs, as attend, await, bear, bespit, bestow, breathe, call, charge, etc. See also fie int. 1–2, out int. 2, shame n. 16 b.

c 1200 Ormin 1750 Þa bedess, þatt te Laferrd Crist Forr hise þeowwess biddeþþ Upponn hiss faderr heofennking. Ibid. 6119 Þe birrþ þin rihhte swinnkess winn Upponn ȝuw alle nittenn. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 130 Ah se sone ha..wende hare wiheles, upon ham seoluen. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 3167 Þe king ek in is syde is herte up on him caste. c 1320 Cast. Love. 1482 Þat muche wo vs brouȝte vppon. c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 106 He hadde greuously synned vpon him. 1473 J. Warkworth Chron. (Camden) 8 The Kynge..losyde his gonnys of his ordynaunce uppone them. c 1500 Melusine lix. 360 Be ye he that wyl take the trybute vpon my Fortresse? 1533 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. VI. 156 To Johne Drummondis childer wirkand upoune the hagbute stokkis. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xviii. 21 We will not leaue the following on vpon our purpose. 1633 Marmion Fine Companion i. iii. (1875) 114 They can doe no more good upon me, than a young pittifull Lover upon a mistress that has the sullens. 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. ii. v. 206 He..had made their places be conferred upon men void of counsel. 1680 Laws Nevis iii. (1740) 6 If the said Offenders are not able to pay..then to be compelled to work it out upon the Forts. 1737 Whiston Josephus, Antiq. xvi. iv. §3 The father may have a suspicion upon all his sons. 1796 Ann. Reg., St. Papers 297 The constitution..is sacredly obligatory upon all. 1805 tr. Lafontaine's Hermann & Emilia I. 261 Nothing is more detestable than to offer one's self upon a young man. 1850 Robertson Serm. Ser. iii. (1857) 7 Persecution is that which affixes penalties upon views held, instead of upon life led. 1896 Peterson Mag. Jan. 102/2 The intruded-upon young lady turned her back upon him.

    b. Denoting the object of regard, desire, etc.; = on prep. 20 b.
    See also dote v.¹ 3, eager a. 6, keen a. 6 b, mad a. 4, run v. 70 b, set v.¹ 37.

c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7604 Opon þat meyden he wax al mad. 1382 Wyclif Psalm xxxix. [xl.] 17 Ful out ioȝe thei, and glade vpon me, alle that sechen thee. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. xx. 267 He schal haue miche gretter affeccioun vpon the seid freend. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. lvi. 508 Louers..soo mad and soo soted vpon wymmen. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 169 The king..was covatous wpoun money. 1598 R. Barckley Felic. Man i. 51 A young man..that was..enamoured vpon an Image of marble. 1614 Bp. Hall Recoll. Treat. 982 In this case, Moses should have beene..cast downe..; yet how hot is hee uppon justice. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 106 ¶3 When he is pleasant upon any of them, all his Family are in good Humour. 1843 Fraser's Mag. XXVIII. 619 O'Connell is bent upon the disruption of the British empire.

    † c. Among (a number of sharers, etc.). Obs.

1492 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 323 Distributers of the same upon the commynes. 1526 Tindale Rom. xv. 26 To make a certayne distribucion apon the poore sanctes. 1598 Dallington Meth. Trav. K 3, Hee diuideth the Lands vpon his horsemen, to each his portion.

    d. Indicating the person by whom a cheque, draft, order, etc., is payable, or the bank on which it is drawn; = on prep. 20 c.
    See also cheque n. 3, draught n. 35, draw v. 65.

1660 Nicholas Papers (Camden) IV. 226 Mr. Fox hauing giuen mee a note upon Mr. Shaw to pay me my allowance. a 1722 Fountainhall Decis. (1759) I. 12 The bill upon his wife for {pstlg}200. 1722 De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 216 He shows me a bill upon me, drawn by my wife. 1798 in Ushaw Mag. Dec. (1913) 287 An order upon Mr. Wright for {pstlg}12 as the price of the book sent you. 1843 Blackw. Mag. LIV. 736 It may be quite as well..to draw upon the bank.

    21. Indicating a person or thing towards whom or which hostile or adverse action or language is directed; against; = on prep. 21.
    See also (a) blow v. 30, complain v. 6 b, cry v. 21 b, design n. 1 b, lie v.² 1 b, peach v. 2, rage v. 2 b, rail v.⁴ 1 b, steal v. 5 e; (b) go v. 67 a, make v. 81, seek v. 17.

(a) c 1200 Ormin 415 Þatt fand mann nan þing uppon hemm To wreȝenn, ne to tælenn. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 2204 Þa Porphire iseh feole, Þet me seide hit upon,..dreien to deaðe. c 1275 Passion Our Lord 241 in O.E. Misc. 44 A ueole kunne wise hi lowen him vp-on. c 1430 Lydg. Hors, Shepe & G. 151 He cryethe affter peasse, compleynnythe vppon þe werres sore. c 1440 Alph. Tales 12 Þis abbatis..forgaff þaim all þai had saide vppon hur. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 10 He declareth howe grevously he is complained upon unto the Duke. 1642 Laud Diary 2 Dec., They were sufficiently railed upon in the streets. 1651 H. More Second Lash in Enthus. Tri., etc. (1656) 253, I now forgive thee heartily for all thy abuses upon me. a 1715 Burnet Own Time iii. (1900) II. 84 The court carried every question.., though with..a protestation made upon every step that was carried. 1737 Whiston Josephus, Hist. v. xiii. §1 He also jested upon him. 1753 J. Collier Art Torment. ii. ii. (1811) 130 Nor need you be apprehensive of the others telling tales upon you. 1861 F. Temple Serm. 274 The unhappy man who has not courage to tell upon himself. 1891 Law Times XC. 441/2 The judges..must accept criticism upon their order.

(b) c 1200 Ormin 7155 Forr þatt he wennde þatt tatt follc Upponn himm cumenn wære..for to niþþrenn himm. c 1230 Hali Meid. 17 Leccherie..secheð earst upon hire, nebbe to nebbe. c 1300 Havelok 65 Was non so bold..Þat durste upon his menie bringhe Hunger. 13.. K. Alis. 4875 (Laud MS.), Euermore hij beþ werrende, And vpon oþer conquerrende. c 1386 Chaucer Monk's T. 537 The peple roos vp-on hym on a nyght. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. vii. 106 Ich am wratthe,..wol gladliche smyte Boþe with ston and with staf, and stele vp-on myn enemy. c 1450 Merlin ii. 24 The hethen assembled a grete oste vpon hem. 1475 Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 5 They bring assailours uppon this lande. 1518 in Leadam Star Chamber Cases (Selden) II. 137 Afterwardes they sought vpon hym at hys boothe with ij clubbys. 1535 Coverdale 1 Esdras i. 27, I am not sent..to fight agaynst y⊇, for my warre is upon Euphrates. 1608 Yorksh. Trag. vii. 17 It shall be my charge To raise the towne vpon him.

(c) 1476 Acta Auditorum (1839) 55/2 Elene Tulloch..wes marijt þe tim þat þe said det wes recouerit apon hir. 1482 Cely Papers (Camden) 85 To see the hurtes and harms he dyd yow uppon your goodes. 1598 Barret Theor. Warres 28 He is to haue great care that his soldiers grow not licencious vpon their poore hosts. 1647 in Crawford Proclam. (1910) II. 55/1 Robberies committed by the tories and rebels upon the protestants. 1678 Wanley Wond. Lit. World v. i. §98 Encroachments upon his Dominions. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. v. 176 The most eligible situation on that coast for cruising upon the enemy. 1754 A. Murphy Gray's-Inn Journal No. 102 ¶2 A Design upon one another's Pockets..was introductory of another Crime. 1772 in Eng. Hist. Rev. Jan. (1915) 30 He places a number of..sepoys upon them and their families. 1883 Harper's Mag. Aug. 448/2 The disadvantages are..unreliability in stays.., hardness upon helms.

    b. On or against (a person), by way of vengeance or the like.

a 1300 Cursor M. 5862 Þat suerd apon hus tak na wrak. c 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483) iii. viii. 55 They alwey hauen sought vengeaunce.., to be wroken vppon tho that ought haue mysliked them. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. lv. 506 Soone we shold haue ben reuenged vpon the fals knyghtes. 1526– [see revenge v. 1–2]. 1535 Coverdale Isaiah i. 23, I must ease me of myne enemies, and a venge me vpon them. 1595 Locrine ii. v. 86 Reuenge my death vpon his traiterous head. 1860 Hook Lives Abps. I. vii. 377 Edwy had the power to avenge himself upon Dunstan.

ellipt. c 1485 Digby Myst. (1882) i. 322 A shamefull deth I aske vpon herowde. 1535 Coverdale Ps. lviii. 10 God letteth me se my desyre vpon myne enemies.

    c. So as to close in or confine.

1382 Wyclif 2 Kings iv. 5 The woman wente, and closede the dore vpon hir silf and vpon hir children. 1535 Coverdale Num. xvi. 33 They wente downe quycke in to the hell..And the earth closed vpon them. ― Ps. lxix. 15 That..the pitte shut not hir mouth vpon me. 1633 T. Adams Exp. 2 Pet. ii. 5 The Lord..himselfe shut the doore of the Arke upon Noah. 1701 Prideaux Direct. Ch.-wardens (1712) 10 If they shall meet..with the Doors lock'd, barred, or bolted upon them. 1844 Dickens Mart. Chuz. xlviii, Softly turning the key upon him as they went out.

    22. With respect or regard to; in reference to; touching, concerning; as to; = on prep. 22.
    See also agree v. 10 b, compliment v. 3, conclude v. 13, consult v. 1, insist v. 3, lot n. 1, matter n. 25 c, pride v. 4, treat v. 2 a, value v. 6.

1382 Wyclif Ecclus. xxii. 11 A litil weep vp on the deade, for he restede. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 110, I finde upon Surquiderie, How that..Be olde daies was a King [etc.]. c 1400 Contin. Brut 321 In þe whiche parlement was treted..how he myȝte best oppon his wrong be avenged. 1439 Cases bef. King's Council (Selden) 105 The Kyngis counsaillours examined the persones..upon the ryot. 1484 Surtees Misc. (1888) 43 Surmising none othere upon hyme. 1515 in Leadam Star Chamber Cases (Selden) II. 85 Two seuerall Writtes..to theym directed to enquere and examyn vpon certen Interrogatoriez. 1584 Cogan Haven Health xc. 81 If you will not be at cost vppon spices, you may make a verie sweete water thus. 1609 Bible (Douay) 1 Kings xxx. 6 The soule of everie man was bitterly affected upon their sonnes, and daughters. 1680 Moxon Mech. Exerc. xiii. 227 Having such good Success upon Brass, I improv'd the Invention so, as to make it serve for Wood also. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 150 ¶4, I could name Two, who..fell out and parted Beds upon the boiling of a Leg of Mutton. 1760 Imposters Detected iii. vii, [She] was not in the least vain or proud upon the encomiums..from every mouth. 1826 Art of Brewing (ed. 2) 9 Opinions and practices..completely at variance upon the subject of mashing. 1843 Blackw. Mag. LIV. 209, I shall set you at ease..upon that point. 1885 Sir H. C. Lopes in Law Reports 14 Q.B.D. 921 This case raises a novel point upon which there is no authority.

    b. Denoting the object to or towards which mental activity is directed; = on prep. 22 b.
    See also consider v. 11 b, meditate v. 4 b, min v.² 3 b, mind n.¹ 7 (quot. 1589), put v. 27 c, reflect v. 13, remember v. 4 c, run v. 70 c, study v. 1, 2, think v.² 3 b, treat v. 2.

a 1300 Sarmun xxxvi. in E.E.P. (1862) 5 And þench þos wordis her ispoke; for-ȝite ham noȝt ac þench apan. a 1300 Cursor M. 112 In hir wirschip wald I bigyn A lastand warc apon to myn. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 14 To studie upon the worldes lore Sufficeth now withoute more. a 1400 Isumbras 427 Sir Ysambrace hym umbithoghte Appone a horse that coles broghte. c 1450 Merlin iii. 49 The moste remembraunce that I shall haue, shall be vpon yow, and on yowre nedes. 1463 Bury Wills (Camden) 34 A remembraunce to thinke vpon me. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Matt. vii. 28 The multitude were in admiration vpon his doctrine. 1611 Bible 1 Tim. iv. 15 Meditate vpon these things. 1655 Earl of Orrery Parthen. i. viii. 418 Did you reflect upon it with an vnprejudicate opinion. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 226, I ask'd him what it was he study'd upon. Ibid. ii. (Globe) 379 But now the Admiration was turn'd upon another question. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xlvi, It has a closin'-in heid-piece concern that min's me..upon a mutch that my wife hed ance. 1899 W. J. Locke White Dove 3 S― was at last able to reflect upon the entire unexpectedness of his presence.

    c. Denoting the subject of speech or writing; = on prep. 22 c.
    Freq. with verbs, as rave, talk, write; amplify v. 7 b, criticize v. 1 b, distinguish v. 8 c, speak v. 15.

(a) a 1390 Wycliffite Bible (1850) IV. 303 An other [prologue] vpon Romayns. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 65 Laodomie his lusti wif..Upon a thing wherof sche dradde A lettre..sende him. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. Preface, My Preface vpon the fyrst volume of this cronycle. 1533 Frith Answ. More E iij b, The mynde and exposition of the olde Doctours vpon the wordes of Chrystes maundye. 1557 Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 113 Vpon the deceas of W. Ch. 1605 Shakes. Macb. ii. i. 23 We would spend it in some words vpon that Businesse. 1697 De Foe Ess. Projects Pref., I wou'd not adventure to appear in Print upon that Subject. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 114 ¶1 Our Discourse chanced to be upon the Subject of Death. 1758 Boswell Lett. (1924) 6 From 1 to 2, [I] attend a college upon Roman Antiquities. 1801 Farmer's Mag. Jan. 66 A series of animadversions..published upon it in a provincial paper. 1824 Byron Juan xvi. xlvii, She..Made epigrams..Upon her friends. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xii, He engaged the goodwife..with some compliments upon the rizzoring of our haddocks.

† (b) 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour 107 Now I shalle telle yow upon this matere of a good lady. 1528 in Roy Rede me, etc. (Arb.) 152 Austyne sayeth vppon the psalter, ye clargy occupyeth the secular lordshyppe secularly. 1574 R. Bristow Treatise 47 Vpon these two, Christ.. and his Church, ronneth al the Scriptures. 1581 Fulke in Confer. iii. (1583) Q ij b, I wil not vouchsafe to replie vpon this answere. 1605 Camden Rem. 143 But he repaied him with this re-allusion vppon the name. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 14 ¶1 My Design of observing upon Things. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) I. 185, I..am the less solicitous..to amplify upon the contents of either.

(c) 1481 in Blades W. Caxton (1882) 231 The polytyque book..whiche that Tullius wrote vpon the disputacons [etc.]. c 1600 W. Fowler Wks. (S.T.S.) 9 A Fvneral Sonet, written vpon the death of..Elizabeth Dowglas. 1709 Addison Tatler No. 163 ¶3 The Sonnet..was written upon a Lady. 1776 Johnson in Boswell (1904) I. 647 A man who has never been engaged in trade himself may undoubtedly write well upon trade. 1791 ‘G. Gambado’ Ann. Horsem. (1809) 55 Had they spent as much time in riding upon turnips, as they have in writing upon them.

    III. In other senses.
    † 23. From (a person or persons), esp. by means of hostile attack; = on prep. 23. Obs. (Cf. 21.)
    Const. with verbs, as make, nim, recover, take, win; also conquer v. 2 b, gain v.² 4.

1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 22 Uppon Saynt Edmunde Northfolk he nam. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 291 Egbertus..took Chestre uppon þe Britouns. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy iii. 3423 Troyens han wonne a-geyn her londe Vp-on Grekis. 1483 in Acta Dom. Conc. II. Introd. 114 Quhilk some was recoverit be..Dure apone the said Schir Johne. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon 527 A ryche shyp, the whiche was wonne vpon the sowdans men. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 194 They wanne dayly and yerely vpon the sayd Turkes, so that they had..much of the landes. 1643 Prynne Doom Cowardice & Treach. 6 At last by such forcible assaults the said Towne was taken upon the said Robert. 1654 Bramhall Just Vind. i. (1661) 2 Whatsoever the Popes of Rome gained upon us. 1660 Nicholas Papers (Camden) IV. 187 The prizes made by the Ostenders upon the Kings subjects. 1742 Leoni Palladio's Archit. II. 66 The Spoils made upon Pyrrhus King of Epirus.

    † 24. In respect of; = on prep. 24. Obs.

a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. v. 26 He is blosme opon bleo brihtest under bis. 13.. Cursor M. 2034 (Gött.), He lis here vte, cum se þu sal, Naked apon his limes all.

    25. On (a musical instrument).

c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame iii. 110 Ther herd I pleyen vpon an harpe..Orpheus ful craftely. 1524 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 499/1 Playing apoun organis in the Kingis chapell. 1552 in Feuillerat Revels Edw. VI (1914) 89, I haue provided one to plaie vppon a kettell drom. 1621 R. Brathwait Nat. Embassie Ded., Able to play vpon an oaten pipe. 1683 Kennett tr. Erasm. on Folly 68 No more skill..than a Pig playing upon the Organs. 1709 Mrs. Manley Secret Mem. I. 149 A great many of 'em..can toot, toot, toot, it upon a Pipe. 1804–6 Syd. Smith Mor. Philos. (1850) 175 Any air..performed upon such an instrument as the bagpipe. 1842 Tennyson Locksley Hall 2 When you want me, sound upon the bugle-horn. 1876 Grant Burgh Sch. Scot. ii. 380 Discoursing laments upon the Bagpipes.

    26. Denoting advance from or improvement on some standard, etc.
    See also improve v. 8, improvement 6 b, refine v. 10.

1662 Evelyn Chalcogr. 50 Which afterwards Sebastian Serli refining upon composed the better part of that excellent book of his. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 44 ¶6 The French have therefore refin'd too much upon Horace's Rule. 1782 Priestley Corrupt. Chr. I. iii. 301 An improvement was made upon this doctrine. 1843 Blackw. Mag. LIV. 197 Mr. Collins has improved greatly upon his last year's exhibition. 1859 Gladstone Glean. (1879) II. 171 If he continues to advance upon himself as he has advanced heretofore.

▪ II. † uˈpon, adv. Obs. (exc. arch. in sense 1 b).
    [Ellipt. use of prec.]
    1. a. On it; on or upon the surface.

1307 York Memo. Bk. (Surtees) I. 181 Lether with the here apon. 1382 Wyclif Ecclus. xxxiii. 6 An hors courser..vnder eche man vpon sittende neȝeth. 1547 in Feuillerat Revels Edw. VI (1914) 13 Changeable Taffita stripyd vpon with blewe golde dornix. 1567 in Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. (1907) IV. 90 A clothe of blacke and redd wroughte with goulde vpon. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. vii. 57 A coyne that beares the figure of an Angell Stampt in gold, but that's insculpt vpon.

    b. On one's person, as an article of apparel. Phr. clothed upon, after biblical use (see quot. 1611.) Cf. clothe v. 9.

a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 364 A chapelet, so semly oon, Ne werede neuer mayde vpon. c 1386 ― Friar's T. 84 He [sc. a gay yeoman] hadde vp-on a courtepy of grene. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 246 And sche..hir scherte dede upon And caste on hire a mantel clos. 1446 Lydg. Two Nightingale P. ii. 123 Whan Crist Ihesu was for mankynd dede And had vpon a garnement ful newe. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 1301 His gloues, his gyrdell, the kynge had vpon. 1611 Bible 2 Cor. v. 2 Desiring to be clothed vpon with our house, which is from heauen. 1643 Caryl Expos. Job 1885 Those bodies of Saints..shall be cloathed upon with a house which is from Heaven. 1895 L. Johnson Poems 34 Old ramparts, gray and stern; But comely clothed upon With wealth of moss and fern. 1930 Month Mar. 230 Ancient stones, like Ezekiel's dry bones, need to be clothed upon.

    2. a. Into or to a position on a surface or object; so as to be put or placed on the thing in question.

1382 Wyclif Num. xvii. 2 Of echon the name thow shalt vpon write [L. superscribes] to his ȝerde. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurgie 219 Make it abrood upon a clooþ & leie it vpon hoot. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. vii. 106 Do donge vppon and vmbe on euery side. 1534 Tindale Luke xx. 18 But on whosoever it faul vpon, it wyll grynde him to powder.

    b. In a direction towards something indicated or specified.

c 1400 Apol. Loll. 2 Þer for, if we wil, we mai calle bischoppis, locars up on. 1593–1611 [see look v. 46].

    3. On or upon that (in time or order); thereafter, thereupon. Esp. coupled with anon, near, soon.
    See also hereupon, thereupon, whereupon advs.

14.. Lydgate's Bochas v. 2898 Afftir whos deth anon vpon [MS. Harl. 1245 vpon anoon] suyng, To Euergetes..She was ageyn ioyned in mariage. c 1440 Generydes 1926 Thanne came the prince of Cesare sone vppon. Ibid. 6632 Kyng auferius fell seke anon vppon. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §12 So that they be sowen ere the begynnynge of Marche, or sone vpon. 1602 Shakes. Ham. i. ii. 179 Ham. I thinke it was to see my Mothers Wedding. Hor. Indeed my Lord, it followed hard vpon. 1603 ― Meas. for M. iv. vi. 14 The..Citizens Haue hent the gates, and very neere vpon The Duke is entring. 1606 ― Tr. & Cr. iv. iii. 3 It is great morning, and the houre prefixt..Comes fast vpon.

    4. By way of addition, increase, etc.

a 1485 Fortescue Wks. (1869) 487 Why will God put uppon newe turments ovir the travaile of ther labour?

▪ III. † upon
    obs. var. open a. (Cf. upen a.)

13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 453 Þenne wafte he vpon his wyndowe. 14.. Sir Beues (E.) 87/1691 Anon þe gate he vpon look.

Oxford English Dictionary