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.
What impact could Dorothy and Marshall’s existence as queer direct descendants of the Declaration’s author have on attitudes towards LGBTQ+ Americans in the present and future?
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
Her enthusiasm for the upcoming sports is not just about watching, but in the effect it might have on her boy.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
Many of the smartest people in the world warned governments, companies and people Monday that they need to be ready for the deep impact that artificial intelligence is going to have on the economy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
In a video he released, Platner said he was “mindful” of the impact it could have on his race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
And under my jersey, I have on a long-sleeve shirt that reaches all the way to my bare feet.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
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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.