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3. onto

onto

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*onto someone

seeing through someone's deception. (*Typically: be ~; get ~; catch ~.) By the time we got on to the con artists, they were out of town. The sheriff got onto Jed, and Jed wanted to get out of town fast.

*onto something

 

1. Fig. alerted to or aware of a deceitful plan. (*Typically: be ~; catch ~.) The cops are onto your little game here. Fig. having found something useful or promising; on the verge of discovering something. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) I think we are really onto something this time. lam onto a new discovery.

See:

• append (something) (on)to
• back onto
• be onto
• be onto a winner
• build out onto
• burst onto the scene
• carry onto
• catch onto
• clamber onto
• cop onto
• cop onto something
• cotton onto
• front onto
• get onto
• hammer onto
• hang onto
• hold onto
• latch onto
• load onto
• lock onto
• nail onto
• onto
• onto a good thing
• onto someone/something
• paint onto
• plaster onto
• press onto
• project onto
• put onto
• roll onto
• run onto
• seize onto
• slap onto
• smooth onto
• spray onto
• spread onto
• stamp onto
• stitch onto
• stray onto
• suffix onto
• tack onto
• tie onto
• turn onto
• turn onto someone/something
• wind onto
• You'll get onto it