English
full-on
Full-on comes from Middle English on ‘on, in’, from Old English on ‘on, in, at, among’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- ‘on, onto’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂en-‘on, onto’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*an‘onto’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*anareconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150on‘on, in, at, among’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘on, in’
- English1500–presentsame form
- Englishearliest quotation 1966full-on
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂en-‘on, onto’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*an‘onto’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*anareconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150on‘on, in, at, among’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘on, in’
- English1500–presentsame form
- Englishearliest quotation 1966full-on
Earliest quotation: 1966, Bruce Brown: “This was a full-on jungle, full of all kinds…”
A compound of full- ‘fully, completely’ + on
Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- ‘on’
Proto-Germanic *an ‘on’
Proto-West Germanic *ana
Old English on ‘on’
Middle English on ‘on’
English on
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- ‘on, onto’
end, along, ana, anterior, asunder, 8 more
through Old English on ‘on, in, at, among’
through Middle English on ‘on, in’
Today it means
adj All-out; out and out; complete; utter.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- / full-on