online

Related to online: Online shopping

come online

1. To become active or begin operating. We've had the building finished for days now, but we're still waiting for the power to come online. Hundreds of new factories are slated to come online over the next year, which will bring a much-needed boost to the economy.
2. To log onto the Internet, usually meaning some social communication service thereof. I'm just waiting for my dad to come online, I haven't spoken to him in weeks!
See also: come, online

go online

1. To become active or begin operating. Hundreds of new factories are slated to go online over the next year, which will bring a much-needed boost to the economy.
2. To log onto and use the Internet. I'm going online to see what movies are showing tonight.
See also: go, online

online

1. Connected to the internet or a local network, as on a computer, smartphone, video game console, etc. You've been online for far too long today. Put your shoes on and go play outside. Once the new server is online, the website should be able to load about three times faster.
2. Describing any activity done over the Internet. Online dating is the new normal when it comes to meeting people. It's interesting to see how online communication really adds to our lexicon.

online shopping

The act of viewing and buying goods from an online retailer. Online shopping will be the death of my business. Do you know how much I pay in rent for my brick-and-mortar storefront? For the sake of my bank account, I don't do as much online shopping as I used to—it was getting just way too easy to spend money!
See also: online, shop

shop online

1. To purchase goods from an online retailer, as opposed to going to a physical location. For the sake of my bank account, I don't shop online as much as I used to—it was getting just way too easy to spend money! I was always suspicious of shopping online, afraid that my financial information would somehow get stolen.
2. To use the Internet to find or research potential purchases. Often followed by "for." Let's just shop online for a new table. I'd rather find something we like before going into any stores. You can save a lot of money on your insurance policy if you shop online for the best possible deals.
See also: online, shop
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

online

 
1. Go to in line.
2. Fig. connected to a computer or network. As soon as I get online, I can check the balance of your account. I was online for an hour before I found out what I wanted to know.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • come on line
  • come online
  • go online
  • spring into action
  • spring to/into life/action
  • go into action
  • in embryo
  • (good) old-fashioned luck
  • get in there
  • go off
References in periodicals archive
While there are categories that will see sizable shifts to online, for customers it will be about a balance between the online and in-store environments.
As NutriSystem grows its online business and customer base, it is inevitable that more performance will be needed in the infrastructure to handle additional traffic.
To that end, qualitative methods were used to determine the attitudes and habits of cohorts of online learners perusing elementary education degrees online in a longitudinal study.
These types of strategies can help college and university leaders acknowledge and take advantage of popular online tools, as opposed to ignoring them out of fear or close-mindedness.
Discover Financial Services offers Secure Online Account Numbers, dummy credit card numbers that consumers can use when making purchases online.
It's impossible to know how many online predators exist, but Dannahey says there are more than the police can go after.
Intriguingly, teens who write online journals, known as blogs, often forgo sex talk for more-mundane topics, such as daily experiences at home and school, Subrahmanyam adds.
Also, online education provides flexibility in terms of time and space, so that students are able to keep up with their studies at any time, in any place.
More interest: That's good news since growing numbers of Newport-Mesa teachers are expressing interest in developing online classes in their subject areas, including foreign languages.
"Clara Online maintains its own data centers and networks, and adopts Red Hat Enterprise Linux and DELL servers for its all services.
When I interviewed Mark Ragan a couple years back, he said they were worried corporately about whether they were "giving away too much online," and they still offer a lot for free.
Over two-thirds indicated that SEO and email marketing are the most effective online marketing techniques, and one out of two marketers specified website design and functionality as the most successful initiative.
Online instruction is housed under the auspice of distance education.
Robert Welch University is preparing to offer online the kind of liberal arts education that the Founders received.
In 2001, as part of a broader corporate business initiative, the company introduced a new capability called HPHC Connect, a suite of online self-service capabilities created to make administering health care easier for employers, providers, brokers and members.