upon English · revision 3451

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=early 12th century|origins=en up}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /əˈpɒn/, US /əˈpɑːn/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a Middle English compound of [[up]] and [[on]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966) formed after Old Norse [[m|non|upp á]],^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986)^(COED 2004) continuing Old English uppon, uppan “on, up to, against”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “Above and touching; upwards so as to be on”: the early 12th century,^(Etymonline) with the OED's earliest quotations from about 1250.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The OED notes that the compound originally expressed elevation as well as contact.^(OED 1989) The adverb, “on it, on the surface”, is from 1307,^(OED 1989) and “thereafter”, as in ''thereupon'', from the 14th century.^(OED 1989) The Century Dictionary observed that ''upon'' is by origin more expressive of motion onto an object from above or from the side, but that it is often scarcely more than a synonym of ''on''.^(Etymonline) ''Once upon a time'' and ''upon my word'' keep the word in fixed phrases.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * early 12th century – preposition.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1250 – above and in contact with.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1307 – adverb.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Preposition===

+ # On; on top of.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Immediately after: ''upon arrival''.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989)

+ # Concerning: ''to reflect upon''.^(SOED 2002)^(HTOED)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(archaic)'' On it; thereafter.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[hereupon]]

+ * [[thereupon]]

+ * [[whereupon]]

+ * [[put-upon]]

+ * [[sit-upon]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[up]]

+ * [[on]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}