prepositions
Which one of the following two sentences is more accurate in regard to the prepositions usage "to vs for".
I want to register to the meeting.
I want to register for the meeting.
If both are correct (Till today, Google found 84,700,000 results for "register to", and 118,000,000 results for "register for"), then what is the difference in meaning?
In general, this expression is commonly used because it is a useful way of defining a space that begins with any upward-facing surface and extends towards the sky.
I spent the autumn days glowering at the leaves on and above my lawn.
(source: google.com)
As far as this specific instance goes, we can tell from the remainder of your example sentence's paragraph what the author is referring to:
But foreign policy statements are made all the time on and above the sidewalks of New York. That explains why street corners are named for the likes of Nelson and Winnie Mandela of South Africa, the assassinated Yitzhak Rabin of Israel, the murdered Kudirat Abiola of Nigeria and the Cuban exile group Brothers to the Rescue.
This use of the phrase covers locations of memorial plaques and street signs, as well as the contentious Empire State Building lights that are the subject of the article. It's possible that there are metaphorical implications as well, related to the people on the sidewalks and in the buildings “above” the sidewalk, but the literal meaning is at least clear from the rest of the paragraph.
Named street corner, above the street:
Memorial plaque, on the street:
You've rightly called out the differences between the first two statements:
He is in a meeting
The above statement refers to the person attending a meeting in the same premises (i.e. on site).
On the other hand:
He is at a meeting
Refers to the person attending a meeting at another premises (i.e. off-site).
Coming to your third statement:
He is on a meeting
The above statement incorrect, and should not be use. The preposition "on" would only be used for calls, such as:
He is on the phone
Although one often hears people mentioning "His is on a call", it is probably preferable to state it as "in a call" to reflect the fact that he is in a phone call. "On a call" tends to give an impression of a professional making a house call (e.g. a doctor visiting a patient, or a plumber at a home for repairs).
Note: the above paragraph was edited based on @user3169's input. The original version said "on a call" was incorrect, while in reality it isn't that black-and-white.
Upvoting your question for the research you've put into it.
Best Answer
Use "register for" when followed by a noun:
Use "register to" when followed by a verb: