bring on
Britishverb
-
to induce or cause
these pills will bring on labour
-
slang to cause sexual excitement in; stimulate
-
Cause to happen, produce, as in His cold brought on an asthma attack . This usage was first recorded in John Milton's Samson Agonistes (1671): “These evils . . . I myself have brought them on.” Also see bring about .
-
Cause to appear or bring into action, as in Bring on the jugglers . [Mid-1800s]
Usage
The second sense of this word was formerly considered to be taboo, and it was labelled as such in previous editions of Collins English Dictionary . However, it has now become acceptable in speech, although some older or more conservative people may object to its use
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.
Messi, who was brought on as a half-time substitute, was wrestled to the turf by a spectator with two minutes remaining of normal time.
From BBC
But they constantly brought on experts and she read everything she could find.
From Los Angeles Times
“One thing I can tell you is: I cannot wait to bring on the spring,” she says.
From Los Angeles Times
Mr. Smith attributes the long gap between books to the depression brought on by his divorce from his first wife and his subsequent return to school to become a psychotherapist.
Last weekend, a sensational report posited a future in which AI unleashes enough disruption and job destruction to bring on a deep recession and financial crisis.
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.
