Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[at present] <adv. phr.> At this time; now. * /It took a long time to get started, but at present the road is half finished./ * /At present the house is empty, but next week a family will move in./

[at random] <adv. phr.> With no order, plan, or purpose; in a mixed-up, or thoughtless way. * /He opened the letters at random./ * /His clothes were scattered about the room at random./

[at sea(1)] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. On an ocean voyage; on a journey by ship. * /They had first met at sea./ 2. Out on the ocean; away from land. * /By the second day the ship was well out at sea./ * /Charles had visited a ship in dock, but he had never been on a ship at sea./

[at sea(2)] <adj. phr.> Not knowing what to do; bewildered; confused; lost. * /The job was new to him, and for a few days he was at sea./ * /When his friends talked about chemistry, Don was at sea, because he did not study chemistry./ Compare: AT A LOSS.

[at sight] or [on sight] <adv. phr.> 1. The first time the person or thing is seen; as soon as the person or thing is seen. * /First graders learn to read many words on sight./ * /Mary had seen many pictures of Grandfather, so she knew him on sight./ Compare: AT ONCE(1). 2. On demand, on asking the first time. * /The money order was payable at sight./

[at sixes and sevens] <adj. phr.> Not in order; in confusion; in a mess. * /He apologized because his wife was away and the house was at sixes and sevens./ * /Our teacher had just moved to a new classroom, and she was still at sixes and sevens./ * /After the captain of the team broke his leg, the other players were at sixes and sevens./

[at --- stage of the game] <adv. phr.> At (some) time during an activity; at (some) point. * /At that stage of the game, our team was doing so poorly that we were ready to give up./ * /It's hard to know what will happen at this stage of the game./ * /At what stage of the game did the man leave?/

[at stake] <adj. phr.> Depending, like a bet, on the outcome of something uncertain; in a position to be lost or gained. * /The team played hard because the championship of the state was at stake./ * /The farmers were more anxious for rain than the people in the city because they had more at stake./ Compare: HANG IN THE BALANCE.

[at straws] See: GRASP AT STRAWS.

[at swords' points] <adj. phr.> Ready to start fighting; very much opposed to each; other hostile; quarreling. * /The dog's barking kept the Browns at swords' points with their neighbors for months./ * /The mayor and the reporter were always at swords' points./

[at table] See: AT THE TABLE; WAIT AT TABLE.

[at that] <adv. phr.>, <informal> 1. As it is; at that point; without more talk or waiting. * /Ted was not quite satisfied with his haircut but let it go at that./ 2. In addition; also. * /Bill's seat mate on the plane was a girl and a pretty one at that./ 3. After all; in spite of all; anyway. * /The book was hard to understand, but at that Jack enjoyed it./ Syn.: ALL THE SAME.

[at the best] See: AT BEST.

[at the bit] See: CHAMP AT THE BIT.

[at the drop of a hat] <adv. phr.>, <informal> 1. Without waiting; immediately; promptly. * /If you need a babysitter quickly, call Mary, because she can come at the drop of a hat./ Compare: ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT. 2. Whenever you have a chance; with very little cause or urging. * /At the drop of a hat, he would tell the story of the canal he wanted to build./ * /He was quarrelsome and ready to fight at the drop of a hat./

[at the eleventh hour] <prep. phr.> At the last possible time. * /Aunt Mathilda got married at the eleventh hour; after all, she was already 49 years old./

[at the end of one's rope] See: END OF ONE'S ROPE.

[at the kill] See: IN AT THE KILL.

[at the least] See: AT LEAST.

[at the mercy of] or [at one's mercy] <adj. phr.> In the power of; subject to the will and wishes of; without defense against. * /The champion had the other boxer at his mercy./ * /The picnic was at the mercy of the weather./ * /The small grocer was at the mercy of people he owed money to./

[at the most] See: AT MOST.

[at the outset] <adv. phr.> At the start; at the beginning. * /"You'll live in the cheaper barracks at the outset; later you can move into the better cabins," the camp director said to the new boys./

[at the outside] <adv. phr.> Maximally; at the utmost. * /This old house can cost no more than $40,000 at the outside./

[at the point of] <prep.> Very near to; almost at or in. * /When Mary broke her favorite bracelet, she was at the point of tears./ * /The boy hurt in the accident lay at the point of death for a week, then he got well./ Compare: ABOUT TO(1), ON THE POINT OF.

[at the ready] <adj. phr.> Ready for use. * /The sailor stood at the bow, harpoon at the ready, as the boat neared the whale./

[at the same time] <adv. phr.> 1. In the same moment; together. * /The two runners reached the finish line at the same time./ Syn.: AT ONCE, AT ONE TIME. 2. In spite of that fact; even though; however; but; nevertheless. * /John did pass the test; at the same time, he didn't know the subject very well./

[at the seams] See: BURST AT THE SEAMS.

[at the table] or [at table] <adv. phr.> At a meal; at the dinner table. * /The telephone call came while they were all at table./

[at the tip of one's tongue] or [on the tip of one's tongue] <adv. phr.> <informal> 1. Almost spoken; at the point of being said. * /It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him, when the phone rang./ * /John had a rude answer on the tip of his tongue, but he remembered his manners just in time./ 2. Almost remembered; at the point where one can almost say it but cannot because it is forgotten. * /I have his name on the tip of my tongue./

[at the top of one's voice] or [at the top of one's lungs] <adv. phr.> As loud as you can; with the greatest possible sound; very loudly. * /He was singing at the top of his voice./ * /He shouted at the top of his lungs./

[at this rate] or [at that rate] <adv. phr.> At a speed like this or that; with progress like this or that. * /John's father said that if John kept going at that rate he would never finish cutting the grass./ * /So Johnny has a whole dollar! At this rate he'll be a millionaire./ * /"Three 100's in the last four tests! At this rate you'll soon be teaching the subject," Tom said to Mary./

[at times] <adv. phr.> Not often; not regularly; not every day; not every week; occasionally; sometimes. * /At times Tom's mother lets him hold the baby./ * /You can certainly be exasperating, at times!/ * /We have pie for dinner at times./ Syn.: FROM TIME TO TIME, NOW AND THEN, ONCE IN A WHILE.