ontoon‧to, on to /ˈɒntə; before vowels ˈɒntʊ; strong ˈɒntuː $ ˈɑːn-, ˈɒːn-/ ●●● S1 W2 preposition 
She watched him walk onto the platform. Don’t jump onto (=into) the bus while it’s moving. Pour the syrup on to the egg mixture. The car rolled over onto its side.down/out/up etc onto something Let’s get back onto the highway.2used to say that a room, door, or window faces towards something or allows movement into another place: The dining room looks out onto a pretty garden. a gate leading on to a broad track3be onto somebody informal a) (also get onto somebody especially British English) to speak to someone in order to tell them or ask them something: A number of people have been onto me complaining about the noise. Get onto the Press Office and find out what’s happening. b)to know that a particular person did something wrong or committed a crime: The police are onto him.4be onto something informal a)to have discovered or produced something new and interesting: With the new show, we were onto something big.be onto a good thing/a winner I think she’s onto a real winner with this song. b) (also get onto something) to be dealing with something or start dealing with something: I’ll get onto it right away.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I don't like it when the cat jumps onto my lap.
- Nancy walked onto the stage and took the microphone in her hand.
- Sara stepped carefully onto the ice.
- Spoon the mixture onto the top of the cake and spread it evenly.
Longman Language Activatoron or on top of something
on the surface of something: · Richard put the letter down on the table.· Neil Armstrong was the first person ever to set foot on the Moon.· There weren't enough chairs so I had to sit on the floor.· Four bottles of wine were standing on the shelf.
on the highest part of something tall: · On top of the church was a large illuminated cross.· The plane crashed on top of Sugarbush Mountain, in Vermont.one on top of the other (=in a pile): · Joey stacked the crates one on top of the other.
into a position on the surface of something: · Nancy walked onto the stage and took the microphone in her hand.· Spoon the mixture onto the top of the cake and spread it evenly.
on something and covering it: · There was a white sheet over the victim's body.· She wore a coat over her sweater.put/lay/throw something over something: · She put a blanket over the child's legs to keep him warm.all over (=on all parts of something): · He spilled beer all over my feet.· There were toys all over the floor.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY I think she’s onto a real winner with this song.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES The band burst onto the music scene in 1997. a revolutionary new drug that has just come onto the market The company seems to be onto a winner (=doing something that is likely to be successful).
I think she’s onto a real winner with this song. (=blame someone else for something you did)· She always tried to shift the blame onto her brother.
The band burst onto the music scene in 1997. (=start using it by typing a password)· Next time you log onto your computer, you will have to use a new password.
a revolutionary new drug that has just come onto the market (also retain a seat formal) (=not lose it in an election)· He is unlikely to retain his seat after next year's election.· Labour managed to hold the seat, but with a reduced majority.
· The audience broke into applause as soon as he walked on stage.
(=happen to start talking about it)· We somehow got onto the subject of detective stories.
The company seems to be onto a winner (=doing something that is likely to be successful).PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► be onto somethingPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► set somebody on/onto somebody► shovel something into/onto something
1used to say that someone or something moves to a position on a surface, area, or object: - He's scared. He knows we're onto him.
- The convergence of the techniques will cast light on perspectives and how they are controlled.
- The different ways in which superantigens activate T cells casts light on the pathogenesis of infectious disease.
- The incident has cast light on the creeping privatisation of the drug war.
- The investigation explores the possibility of using probate inventories to cast light on this and related questions.
- We use this to cast light on a metaphor of which we are given no other interpretation.
- He was tense now - on the defensive.
- It was the only time in her life that she had noticed her maternal grandmother at a disadvantage, on the defensive.
- Motta always put him on the defensive.
- The conference, held in a Protestant church, found Daley and his group on the defensive.
- The industry is on the defensive in Congress, in courts across the nation and in the war for public opinion.
- This immediately puts the farmer on the defensive and reinforces the public's perception of them as a complaining, dissatisfied group.
- When he first invested in the company, he knew he was onto a good thing.
- His senses told him he was onto a good thing and his senses were rarely wrong.
- Many directors who take dividends in lieu of salary may think they are onto a good thing.
- Maybe he thought he was onto a good thing.
- Multiply that up by two or three hundred stores, and you will see he was onto a good thing.
- The plots were essentially the same; like any successful entrepreneur, Alger knew when he was onto a good thing.
- They felt they might be onto a good thing.
- A third means of avoiding responsibility consists of shifting the blame to even higher officials.
- He had to shift the blame, find a sacrificial victim.
- Her comments on Radio Derby came as Tories tried to shift the blame for Britain's economic ills elsewhere.
- In other words that they were shifting the blame.
- It shifts the blame to belief.
- Leaving the abusive marriage, or divorcing him, will be branded desertion or a sin, shifting the blame to her.
- Penney also shifted the responsibilities and titles of several other executives in different regions.
- Time after time, ministers have tried to shift the blame for rising unemployment to the down-turn in the world economy.
- His senses told him he was onto a good thing and his senses were rarely wrong.
- Many directors who take dividends in lieu of salary may think they are onto a good thing.
- Maybe he thought he was onto a good thing.
- Multiply that up by two or three hundred stores, and you will see he was onto a good thing.
- The plots were essentially the same; like any successful entrepreneur, Alger knew when he was onto a good thing.
- They felt they might be onto a good thing.
She watched him walk onto the platform. Don’t jump onto (=into) the bus while it’s moving. Pour the syrup on to the egg mixture. The car rolled over onto its side.down/out/up etc onto something Let’s get back onto the highway.2used to say that a room, door, or window faces towards something or allows movement into another place: The dining room looks out onto a pretty garden. a gate leading on to a broad track3be onto somebody informal a) (also get onto somebody especially British English) to speak to someone in order to tell them or ask them something: A number of people have been onto me complaining about the noise. Get onto the Press Office and find out what’s happening. b)to know that a particular person did something wrong or committed a crime: The police are onto him.4be onto something informal a)to have discovered or produced something new and interesting: With the new show, we were onto something big.be onto a good thing/a winner I think she’s onto a real winner with this song. b) (also get onto something) to be dealing with something or start dealing with something: I’ll get onto it right away.