Meaning of not on | Babel Free

Definitions

Unacceptable or impossible.

Australia, British, Ireland, informal

Examples

“It's just not on. We can't go breaking into another lawyer's office. I mean . . . it's just not something you can do.”

“A feature of a situation may be influencing us although we do not realize it. From the agent's point of view the motivational power and direction of a consideration may not even be recognized. We often do not know why certain choices are just not on, and others so strangely attractive.”

“2003, Dan Connell (author), Lionel Cliffe and Basil Davidson (introduction), Taking on the Superpowers: Collected Articles on the Eritrean Revolution, 1976-1982, page 325, After a week or so, he and I determined that walking hundreds of miles behind guerrilla lines under these conditions was just not on for him, and he packed his equipment to return home.”

CEFR level