onlineadj/ˈɒnlaɪn/

• 1

  Of a system: connected (generally electrically) to a larger network.

• 2

  Of a system: connected (generally electrically) to a larger network.

  • Is this modem online?
• 3

  Available over, or delivered from, the Internet.

  • In America alone, people spent $170 billion on “direct marketing”—junk mail of both the physical and electronic varieties—last year. Yet of those who received unsolicited adverts through the post, only 3% bought anything as a result. If the bumf arrived electronically, the take-up rate was 0.1%. And for online adverts the “conversion” into sales was a minuscule 0.01%.
  • The online world was meant to be an open system but has become dominated by huge corporations.
• 4

  Connected to the Internet.

  • I'll be online tonight, so I'll be able to reply to your email.
• 5

  Available on a computer system, even if not networked.

  • Press the F1 key to access the online help.
  • The program comes with an online manual, supplied on compact disc.
• 6

  Of a system: active, particularly building facilities (such as power) or a factory or power plant.

  • The power is online.
  • Once this factory comes online, it will double car production in our country!
• 7

  slangImmersed in Internet culture. (Usually modified by an intensifier such as extremely or terminally)

  • terminally online
  • To borrow an idiom from the extremely online, late Godard is a mood.

onlineadv/ˈɒnlaɪn/

• 1

  While online; while in a running or active state, or connected to the Internet.

  • He works online.
  • Well, things are getting pretty serious right now. I mean, we chat online for, like, two hours every day so I guess you could say things are gettin' pretty serious.

onlineverb/ˈɒnlaɪn/

• 1

  computingengineeringmathematicsTo bring (a system, etc.) online; to promote to an active or running state.

  • The output in Listing 8-2 shows your disk group status prior to onlining the disks, the commands to online your disks, and the status after onlining.