aidiomatic expressions with at part 2

7/28/2019 Aidiomatic Expressions With at Part 2

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IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS WITH AT

at/in the back ofyourmindIf something is at/in the back of your mind, you intend to do it, but are not activelythinking about it:

It's been at the back of my mind to call Jos for several days now, but I haven't gotround to it yet

at bayIf an animal is at bay, it is about to be caught or attacked

at sb's beck and callalways willing and able to do whatever someone asks:Go and get it yourself! I'm not at your beck and call, you know.

at bestEven when considered in the most positive way:The food was bland at best, and at worst completely inedible.

at its bestAt the highest standard achievable:

The documentary was an example of investigative journalism at its best.at the best of timesWhen everything is going well:Our car is sloweven at the best of times.

at bottomUK FORMALIn a basic way:Jealousy is, at bottom, a lack of self-confidence.

at the push of a buttonVery easily:You can't expect to get everything you need at the push of a button.

at close quarters/range(from) a short distance away:

When you see famous people at close quarters, they always appear much smaller thanyou imagined them.He was shot at close range.

at the coalfaceUKDoing the work involved in a job, in real working conditions, rather than planning ortalking about it:At the coalface with a deadline looming, you sometimes feel under a lot of pressure.

at yourcommand1If you have particular qualities at your command, you are able to use themeffectively:As a writer, she has both style and humour at her command.2HUMOROUSIf someone says that they are at your command, they mean they arewilling to do what you ask:

"I can't reach my zip - could you unfasten it, please?" "I'm at your command!"at yourconvenienceWhen you want:The goods will be delivered at your convenience.

at yourearliest convenienceAs soon as you like or can:Please return the completed form at your earliest convenience.

at all cost(s) (ALSOat any cost)If something must be done or avoided at all costs, it must be done or avoidedwhatever happens:Security during the president's visit must be maintained at all costs.He wanted her at any cost, even if it meant giving up everything he had.

at the crack of dawnVery early in the morning, especially at the time at which the sun first appears:We'll have to leave at the crack of dawn.

be at a crossroadsTo be at a stage in your life when you have to make a very important decisin.

(at) daggers drawnIf two people, countries, etc. are at daggers drawn, they are in a state of extremeunfriendliness and do not trust each other:The two sides have been at daggers drawn for some months now with no sign ofimprovement in relations

be at death's doorINFORMALto be very ill


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be in at the deathUKTo be present at the important time when something comes to an end

at sb's disposalFORMALAvailable to be used by someone:I would take you if I could, but I don't have a car at my disposal this week.Having sold the house she had a large sum of money at her disposal(= to spend as

she wanted).at the drop of a hatIf you do something at the drop of a hat, you do it immediately without stopping tothink about it:People will file lawsuits at the drop of a hat these days.

at the earliestUsed after a date or time to show that something will not happen before then:I'm very busy, so I won't be with you till 4 o'clock at the earliest.

at (your) easeRelaxed:He felt completely at ease.She soon put/setme at ease (= made me relaxed) .

at ease (ALSOstanding at ease)If someone, especially a soldier is at ease, they are standing with their feet apart andtheir hands behind their back.

at a low ebbIn a bad or weak state:Consumer confidence is currently at a low ebb.I was recently divorced and feeling at a very low ebb.

at sb's elbowClose beside and a little behind someone:During the visit, the interpreter was always at her elbow.

at the expense ofsb (ALSOat sb's expense)Making another person look foolish:Would you stop making jokes at my expense?

be at faultTo have done something wrong:Her doctor was at faultfor/in not sending her straight to a specialist.

at/in one fell swoopIf you do something at/in one fell swoop, you do it all at the same time:I got all my Christmas shopping done in one fell swoop.

(at) full blastAs loud as possible:He had the television on at full blast.

(at) full speed/tilt/peltAs fast as possible:He was driving at full speed down the motorway when it happened.

(at) full stretchUKWhen you are working as hard as possible and could not manage to do any more:The emergency services are working at full stretch today to cope with the accident.

at a glanceImmediately: He couldtellat a glance that something was wrong.

at first glanceWhen first looking:At first glance I thought it was a dog (but I was mistaken).

at the hands ofsbIf you suffer at the hands of someone, they hurt you or treat you badly:How many people have died at the hands of terrorist organizations since the violencebegan?

at the helm

Officially controlling an organization or company:With Steve Lewis at the helm, we are certain of success.

at issueMost important in what is being discussed:The point at issue is what is best for the child.

at largeGenerally:This group is not representative of the population at large.

be at largeIf someone dangerous is at large, they are free when they should not be:Twelve prisoners are at large following a series of escapes.

at (long) lastFinally: I've finished my essay at last!At long last the government is starting to listen to our problems.


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at (your) leisureWhen you want to and when you have time to:You can take the documents home and study them at (your) leisure.

at length1for a long time:George went on atgreat length about his various illnesses.

2FORMALIf something happens at length, it happens after a long period of time:At length, the authorities allowed her to go home.

be at a loose endINFORMALTo have nothing to do:If you find yourself at a loose end, you could always clean the bathroom.

be at a lossTo not know what to do or say:I'm at a loss to know how I can help you.

at yourmother's kneeLITERARYIf you learned something at your mother's knee, you learned it when you were a child:I learned to sew at my mother's knee.

be at oddsTo disagree:They're at odds over the funding of the project.Her version of events was at odds with(= very different from) the police report.

at a pinchUK (USin a pinch)Something that you can do at a pinch can be done if it is really necessary, but it will bedifficult, not perfect, or not what you would really like:I need 2000 to set up the business, but I suppose 1500 would do at a pinch.

at a pushUKIf you can do something at a push, you can do it but it will be difficult:At a push I could be there by eight o'clock.

at a rate of knotsUK AND AUSTRALIAN ENGLISHIf someone does something at a rate of knots, they do it very quickly:She got through her work at a rate of knots.

at seaConfused:I'm all/completely at sea with the new coins.

at sixes and sevensINFORMALIn a confused, badly organized or difficult situation:We've been at sixes and sevens in the office this week.

at sourceAt the place where something comes from:Tax is deducted from my income at source

at stakeIf something that is valuable is at stake, it is in a situation where it might be lost:Thousands of lives will be at stake if emergency aid does not arrive in the city soon.

at the stroke of a pen

Describes something that is done quickly and easily by someone, as if they werewriting their name on a piece of paper:Politicians know they cannot create a lawful society simply at the stroke of a pen.

at the end ofyourtetherHaving no strength or patience left:By 6 o'clock after a busy day I'm at the end of my tether.

at each other's throatsIf two people are at each other's throats, they are arguing angrily:Those two are always at each other's throats

at full/half throttleAt full/half speed or power:He's working at full throttle (= as hard as he can) to get the job finished.

The captain of the boat had his engines at full throttlebe at yourwits' endTo be very worried and upset because you have tried every possible way to solve aproblem but can not do it:I've tried everything I can think of to make her eat but she flatly refuses - I'm at mywits' end.

aidiomatic expressions with at part 2

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