Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц
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[at one’s ease] See: AT EASE(2).
[at one’s elbow]{adv. phr.} Close beside you; nearby. •/The President rode in an open car with his wife at his elbow./ •/Mary practiced for several years to become a champion swimmer and her mother was always at her elbow to help her./ Contrast: BREATHE DOWN ONE’S NECK.
[at one’s feet]{adv. phr.} Under your influence or power. •/She had a dozen men at her feet./ •/Her voice kept audiences at her feet for years./ Compare: THROW ONESELF AT SOMEONE’S FEET.
[at one’s fingertips]{adv. phr.} 1. Within easy reach; quickly touched; nearby. •/Seated in the cockpit, the pilot of a plane has many controls at his fingertips./ 2. Readily usable as knowledge or skill; familiar. •/He had several languages at his fingertips./ •/He had the whole design of the machine at his fingertips./
[at one’s heels]{adv. phr.} Close behind; as a constant follower or companion. •/The boy got tired of having his little brother at his heels all day./ •/John ran by the finish line with Ned at his heels./ •/Bad luck followed at his heels all his life./
[at one’s leisure] See: AT LEISURE(2).
[at one’s service]{adv. phr.} 1. Ready to serve or help you; prepared to obey your wish or command; subject to your orders. •/He placed himself completely at the President’s service./ •/"Now I am at your service," the dentist told the next patient./ 2. Available for your use; at your disposal. •/He put a car and chauffeur at the visitor’s service./
[at one stroke] See: AT A BLOW or AT ONE STROKE.
[at one’s wit’s end] or [at wits end]{adj. phr.} Having no ideas as to how to meet a difficulty or solve a problem; feeling puzzled after having used up all of your ideas or resources; not knowing what to do; puzzled. •/He had approached every friend and acquaintance for help in vain, and now he was at his wit’s end./ •/The designer was at his wit’s end: he had tried out wings of many different kinds but none would fly./ Compare: AT A LOSS, END OF ONE’S ROPE.
[at one’s word] See: TAKE AT ONE’S WORD.
[at one time]{adv. phr.} 1. In the same moment; together. •/Let’s start the dance again all at one time./ •/Mr. Reed’s bills came all at one time and he could not pay them./ Syn.: AT THE SAME TIME(1). 2. At a certain time in the past; years ago. •/At one time people thought that Minnesota was not a good place to live./ •/At one time most school teachers were men, but today there are more women than men./
[at pains]{adj. phr.} Making a special effort. •/At pains to make a good impression, she was prompt for her appointment./
[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.