Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

On, adv. 1) denoting contact with the body, in speaking of clothes and the like: “put his bonnet on,” Ven. 1087. “my gloves are on,” Gent. II, 1, 1. As IV, 3, 26. “the Athenian garments he hath on,” Mids. II, 1, 264. III, 2, 349. H4A IV, 2, 44. Hml. I, 1, 60. Ant. IV, 4, 22. “goes off and on at pleasure,” All's IV, 3, 279. “get on your nightgown,” Mcb. II, 2, 70. “what makes that frontlet on?” Lr. I, 4, 208. “left this head on,” Cymb. IV, 2, 323; “while my fearful head is on,” R3 IV, 2, 126. “every of ficer his wedding-garment on,” Shr. IV, 1, 51. “on with your vizards,” H4A II, 2, 55. “with his beaver on,” IV, 1, 104. “with thy best apparel on,” Caes. I, 1, 8. “with your comb on,” Cymb. II, 1, 26. “with his best ruff on,” Per. IV, 2, 111. Metaphorically: “she puts on outward strangeness,” Ven. 310. “thy native semblance on,” Caes. II, 1, 83. “we put on a compelled valour,” Hml. IV, 6, 17. “when the rash mood is on,” Lr. II, 4, 172.
Denoting progression, == forward: “the path is smooth that leadeth on to danger,” Ven. 788. marching “on with trembling paces,” Lucr. 1391. “sometimes they do extend their view right on,” Compl. 26. “it goes on, as my soul prompts it,” Tp. I, 2, 419. “say on,” II, 1, 228. “to hasten on this expedition,” Gent. I, 3, 77. “my duty pricks me on,” III, 1, 8. “on went he for a search,” Wiv. III, 5, 107. “money is a good soldier and will on,” II, 2, 176. “dares me on,” Mids. III, 2, 413. “travel you far on, or are you at the farthest?” Shr. IV, 2, 73. “in coming on he has the cramp,” All's IV, 3, 324. “come on, brave soldiers,” H6C IV, 7, 87. “when fitness calls them on,” Troil. I, 3, 202. “pride must tarre the mastiffs on,” Troil. I, 3, 202 “shall we on and not depend on you,” Caes. III, 1, 217. “whose voice will draw on more,” Hml. V, 2, 403. “prologue to the omen coming on,” I, 1, 123. Without a verb, imperatively or exhortingly: “on, officer!” Err. IV, 1, 108. “on, gentlement,” Merch. II, 6, 58. III, 3, 35. Tw. III, 4, 274. John III, 2, 9. III, 3, 73. H4A II, 2, 95. H5 III, 1, 17. III, 2, 1. H6A V, 2, 21. R3 V, 2, 14. Troil. IV, 1, 49. Rom. I, 4, 113. Oth. I, 1, 184. I, 3, 190. Ant. III, 1, 37. Cymb. V, 5, 134 etc. off and on == to and fro: “I swam thirty leagues off and on,” Tp. III, 2, 17. Sometimes joined to the imperatives of to come and to go, by way of making the demand more urgent: “come on, obey,” Tp. I, 2, 483. “come on then, down and swear,” II, 2, 157. “come on, Trinculo, let us sing,” III, 2, 129. “come on, Panthino,” Gent. I, 3, 76. “go on before,” II, 4, 186. “go on, out at the postern,” V, 1, 8 etc.
Denoting continuation, == without ceasing: “hate on,” Sonn. 149, 13. “he weeps on,” Gent. II, 3, 29. “read on,” III, 1, 329. “Benedick, love on,” Ado III, 1, 111. “if you go on thus,” V, 1, 1. “wonder on,” Mids. V, 129. “if the midnight bell did sound on into the drowsy race of night,” John III, 3, 39 (i. e. if it were striking twelve, and the strokes were continuing, as if they would never cease. Some M. Edd. one). cf. “still to strike on,” H6A I, 2, 42. “scoff on,” III, 2, 45. “speak on,” III, 3, 43. “read on,” H6B I, 1, 56. “gaze on,” I, 2, 9. “jest on,” H6C III, 2, 116. “say on,” R3 IV, 2, 11. “let him on,” H8 I, 2, 176. “hear me on,” Tim. I, 1, 77. Without a verb: “well, on,” Wiv. II, 2, 48. Wint. I, 2, 411. Hml. V, 2, 167. Ant. I, 2, 100. II, 2, 86 etc.