onward

on +‎ -ward

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɒnwəd/
• (Northern US, cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈɑnwɚd/
• (Southern American English) IPA^(key): /ˈɔnwɚd/
• Hyphenation: on‧ward

• Audio (US)

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onward (comparative more onward, superlative most onward)

1. (not comparable) Moving forward.

   There was an onward rush as the gates opened.

2. Advanced in a forward direction or toward an end.
   • a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the page number)”, in Fulke Greville, Matthew Gwinne, and John Florio, editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, OCLC 801077108; republished in Albert Feuillerat, editor, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (Cambridge English Classics: The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney; I), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1912, OCLC 318419127:

     Within a while, Philoxenus came to see how onward the fruits were of his friend's labour.

onward (not comparable)

1. In a forward direction.
   • 1871, Sabine Baring-Gould (lyrics), “Onward, Christian Soldiers”:

     Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war...

• onwards

onward (third-person singular simple present onwards, present participle onwarding, simple past and past participle onwarded)

1. To keep going; to progress or persevere.
   • 1802, The Election, a Comdey in Five Acts, page 277:

     and those curs'd Mercian women To cross my purposes, with hag-like spite, Do nought but females bear. But I will onward.

   • 1892, American Medical Association, Transactions of the Section on Laryngology, Otology and Rhinology:

     Improvement, progress, civilization, however, demand responsive souls. You cannot bribe the great time, it will onward and in its train humanity rises to higher levels.

   • 2014, Carolyn Forché, Duncan Wu, Poetry of Witness: The Tradition in English, 1500-2001, page 530:

     Tell them, oh guns, that we have heard their call, That we have sworn, and will not turn aside, That we will onward till we win or fall, That we will keep the faith for which they died.

• Rawdon, Rowand, Wondra, arownd, draw on