have on
Britishverb
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(usually adverb) to wear
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(usually adverb) to have (a meeting or engagement) arranged as a commitment
what does your boss have on this afternoon?
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informal (adverb) to trick or tease (a person)
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(preposition) to have available (information or evidence, esp when incriminating) about (a person)
the police had nothing on him, so they let him go
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have something on . See have nothing on , def. 3.
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have someone on ; put someone on . Deceive or fool someone, as in There was no answer when I called; someone must be having me on , or You can't mean you're taking up ballet—you're putting me on! [ Colloquial ; mid-1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One shouldn’t be cavalier about the effects such restrictions can have on a country’s politics.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
The cybersecurity sector has been in a slump this year as some on Wall Street are worried about the impacts artificial intelligence will have on it.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
During the Moon flyby, which will last for several hours, the crew will have to observe the celestial body with their naked eyes, along with cameras they have on board.
From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026
Many tourists looking to spend the Easter weekend in north and west Wales cancelled, leaving some worried about the effect it will have on the tourism industry.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
“So all you have on this guy is his first name, which...might not even be his first name.”
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
