on is frequently used where in would be preferable. Fitz-Greene Halleck once said to a friend, “Why do people persist in saying on Broadway? Might they not as well say Our Father, who art on Heaven?”
once in a way (or while): A colloquialism for “now and then,” better expressed by a single word, as occasionally.
one: Used sometimes as in writing narrative instead of “I,” “he,” or “a.” Bain (“Higher Eng. Grammar”) says: “One should be followed by one and not by he (nor for that matter by I or a); as, ‘What one sees or feels, one can not be sure that one sees or feels.’” To begin with one and to continue with any one of the substitutes suggested would not only be incorrect but would confuse the reader.
one another. Compare [EACH OTHER].
one-horse: A slang term for “second rate”; implying “of inferior capacity, quality or resources.”
only: This word, whose correct position depends upon the intention of the author, is often misplaced. The examples of the uses of only here given will serve to illustrate correct usage. “Only his father spoke to him”; here only means that of all persons who might have spoken, but one, his father, spoke to him. “His father only spoke to him” implies that his father “only spoke” and did not scold him, which, perhaps, he might have felt his duty called upon him to do. “His father spoke only to him” means that, of all the persons present, his father chose to speak to him alone, but this sentence may perhaps be more lucidly expressed “His father spoke to him only.”
on the level. See under [LEVEL].
on the street. Compare [IN THE STREET]; [ON].
onto: A word meaning “upon the top of,” avoided by purists as colloquial or vulgar. Condemned by Phelps as a vulgarism but now gradually growing in popularity. Inasmuch as its form is analogous to into, unto, upon, all of which are sanctioned by best usage, Phelps’s condemnation is perhaps a little premature. The word has been objected to by some critics as redundant or needless. “Considered as a new word (it is in reality a revival of an old form), it conforms to the two main neoteristic canons by which the admissibility of new words is to be decided. (See Hall, Modern English, pp. 171, 173.) It obeys the analogy of in to = into. It may also be held to supply an antecedent blank, as may be shown by examples. It never should be employed where on is sufficient; but simple on after verbs of motion may be wholly ambiguous, so that on to, meaning ‘to or toward and on,’ may become necessary to clear up the ambiguity. ‘The boy fell on the roof’ may mean that he fell while on the roof, or that he fell, as from the chimney-top or some overlooking window, to the roof so as to be on it; but if we say ‘The boy fell on to the roof,’ there is no doubt that the latter is the meaning. The canons for deciding the eligibility of new words appear therefore to claim for on to the right to struggle for continued existence and general acceptance.” So says Dr. I. K. Funk in the Standard Dictionary.
O, Oh: Although often used indiscriminately it is generally conceded that “O” is used to express exclamation or direct address while “oh” is used to express the emotion of joy, pain, sorrow, or surprise. See the examples.