Неизвестен Автор - Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[at anchor] Held by an anchor from floating away; anchored. * /The ship rode at anchor in the harbor./

[at any rate] In any case; anyhow. * /It isn't much of a car, but at any rate it was not expensive./ Compare: AT LEAST(2), IN ANY CASE.

[at a premium] At a high price due to special circumstances. * /When his father died, Fred flew to Europe at a premium because he had no chance to buy a less expensive ticket./

[at arm's length] See: KEEP AT A DISTANCE or KEEP AT ARM'S LENGTH.

[at a set time] At a particular, pre-specified time. * /Do we have to eat in this hotel at a set time, or may we come down whenever we want?/

[at a snail's pace] See: SNAIL'S PACE.

[at a straw] See: GRASP AT STRAWS.

[at a stroke] See: AT A BLOW or AT A STROKE.

[at a time] At once; at one time; in one group or unit; together. * /He checked them off one at a time as they came in./ * /He ran up the steps two at a time./ See: EVERY OTHER. * /They showed up for class three and four at a time./

[at bay] or In a place where you can no longer run away; unable to go back farther; forced to stand and fight, or face an enemy; cornered. * /The dog ran the rat into a corner, and there the rat turned at bay./ * /The police chased the thief to a roof, where they held him at bay until more policemen came to help./ Compare: BRING TO BAY.

[at best] or [at the best] 1. Under the best conditions; as the best possibility. * /A coal miner's job is dirty and dangerous at best./ * /We can't get to New York before ten o'clock at best./ Compare: AT MOST. Contrast: AT WORST. 2. In the most favorable way of looking at something; even saying the best about the thing. * The /treasurer had at best been careless with the club's money, but most people thought he had been dishonest./

[at both ends] See: BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS.

[at call] or 1. Ready or nearby for use, help, or service; on request. * /Thousands of auto insurance agents all over the country are at the insured person's call, wherever he may travel./ 2. At the word of command; at an order or signal. * /The dog was trained to come at call./

[at close range] Close by; in proximity. * /The police officer fired at the fleeing murder suspect at close range./

[at cross purposes] With opposing meanings or aims; with opposing effect or result; with aims which hinder or get in each other's way. * /Tom's parents acted at cross purposes in advising him; his father wanted him to become a doctor; but his mother wanted him to become a minister./

[at death's door] or Very near death; dying. * /He seemed to be at death's door from his illness./

[at each other's throats] Always arguing and quarreling. * /Joan and Harry have been at each other's throats so long that they have forgotten how much they used to love one another./

[at ease] or [at one's ease] or 1. In comfort; without pain or bother. * /You can't feel at ease with a toothache./ 2. or [at one's ease] Comfortable in one's mind; relaxed, not troubled. - Often used in the phrase "put at ease" or "put at one's ease." * /We put Mary at her ease during the thunderstorm by reading her stories./ Compare: AT HOME(2). Contrast: ILL AT EASE, ON EDGE. 3. Standing with your right foot in place and without talking in military ranks. * /The sergeant gave his men the command "At ease!"/ Compare: PARADE REST.

[at every turn] Every time; all the time; continually without exception. * /Because of his drinking, the man was refused a job at every turn./

[at face value] What one can actually hear, read, or see; literally. * /John is so honest that you can take his words at face value./ * /This store's advertisements are honest; take them at face value./

[at fault] Responsible for an error or failure; to blame. * /The driver who didn't stop at the red light was at fault in the accident./ * /When the engine would not start, the mechanic looked at all the parts to find what was at fault./ Syn.: IN THE WRONG.

[at first] In the beginning; at the start. * /The driver didn't see the danger at first./ * /At first the job looked good to Bob, but later it became tiresome./ * /There was a little trouble at first, but things soon were quiet./

[at first blush] When first seen; without careful study. * /At first blush the offer looked good, but when we studied it, we found things we could not accept./

[at first glance] or [at first sight] or After a first quick look. * /At first sight, his guess was that the whole trouble between the two men resulted from personalities that did not agree./ * /Tom met Mary at a party, and it was love at first sight./

[at great length] 1. In great detail. * /Jim told us the story of his life at great length./ 2. For a long time. * /The boring speaker rambled on at great length./

[at half mast] Halfway up or down; referring primarily to flagposts, but may be used jokingly. * /When a president of the United States dies, all flags are flown at half mast./

[at hand] also [at close hand] or [near at hand] 1. Easy to reach; nearby. * /When he writes, he always keeps a dictionary at hand./ 2. Coming soon; almost here. * /Examinations are past and Commencement Day is at hand./

[at heart] 1. In spite of appearances; at bottom; in reality. * /His manners are rough but he is a kind man at heart./ 2. As a serious interest or concern; as an important aim or goal. * /He has the welfare of the poor at heart./

[at home] or 1. In the place where you live or come from. * * /I went to his house, but he was not at home./ * /Americans abroad are protected by the government like Americans at home./ 2. Knowing what to do or say; familiar; comfortable. * /Charles and John enjoy working together because they feel at home with each other./ * /The politician was at home among poor farmers and among rich factory owners./ * /Make the new student feel at home in your school./ * /Would you be at home driving a truck?/ * /Jim always lived by a lake, and he is at home in the water./ * /Tom has read many books about missiles and is at home in that subject./ Syn.: AT EASE(2). Compare: IN ONE'S ELEMENT, MAKE ONESELF AT HOME. Contrast: AT A LOSS.

[at issue] 1. In dispute; to be settled by debate, by vote, by battle, or by some other contest. * /His good name was at issue in the trial./ * /The independence of the United States from England was at issue in the Revolutionary War./ Compare: IN QUESTION. 2. Not in agreement; in conflict; opposing. * /His work as a doctor was at issue with other doctors' practice./ Syn.: AT ODDS.

[at it] Busily doing something; active. * /His rule for success was to keep always at it./ * /The couple who owned the little cleaning shop were at it early and late./ * /Mr. Curtis heard a loud crash in the next apartment - the neighbors were at it again./

[at large] or 1. Not kept within walls, fences, or boundaries; free. * /The killer remained at large for weeks./ Compare: AT LIBERTY. * /Cattle and sheep roamed at large on the big ranch./ 2. In a broad, general way; at length; fully. * /The superintendent talked at large for an hour about his hopes for a new school building./ 3. As a group rather than as individuals; as a whole; taken together. * /The junior class at large was not interested in a senior yearbook./ 4. As a representative of a whole political unit or area rather than one of its parts; from a city rather than one of its wards, or a state rather than one of its districts. * /He was elected congressman at large./ * /Aldermen are voted for at large./

[at last] also [at long last] After a long time; finally. * /The war had been long and hard, but now there was peace at last./ * /The boy saved his money until at last he had enough for a bicycle./

[at least] 1. or [at the least] At the smallest guess; no fewer than; no less than. * /You should brush your teeth at least twice a day./ * /At least three students are failing in mathematics./ * /Mr. Johnson must weigh 200 pounds at least./ Compare: ALL OF. 2. Whatever else you may say; anyhow; anyway. * /It was a clumsy move, but at least it saved her from getting hit./ * /She broke her arm, but at least it wasn't the arm she writes with./ * /The Mortons had fun at their picnic yesterday - at least the children did - they played while their parents cooked the food./ * /He's not coming - at least that's what he said./ Compare: AT ANY RATE.

[at leisure] or 1. Not at work; not busy; with free time; at rest. * /Come and visit us some evening when you're at leisure./ 2. or [at one's leisure] When and how you wish at your convenience; without hurry. * /John made the model plane at his leisure./ * /You may read the book at your leisure./

[at length] 1. In detail; fully. * /You must study the subject at length to understand it./ * /The teacher explained the new lesson at length to the students./ 2. In the end; at last; finally. * /The movie became more and more exciting, until at length people were sitting on the edge of their chairs./

[at liberty] or Free to go somewhere or do something; not shut in or stopped. * /The police promised to set the man at liberty if he told the names of the other robbers./ * /I am sorry, but I am not at liberty to come to your party./ Compare: AT LARGE(1).

[at loggerheads] or In a quarrel; in a fight; opposing each other. * /The two senators had long been at loggerheads on foreign aid./ * /Because of their barking dog, the Morrises lived at loggerheads with their neighbors./ Compare: AT ODDS.

[at long last] See: AT LAST.

[at loose ends] Without a regular job or settled habits; uncertain what to do next; having nothing to do for a while; undecided; unsettled; restless. * /Feeling at loose ends, I went for a long walk./ * /He had finished college but hadn't found a job yet, so he was at loose ends./

[at most] or [at the most] By the largest or most generous guess; at the upper limit; by the maximum account; not more than; at best; at worst. * /It was a minor offense at most./ * /He had been gone 15 minutes at the most./ * /Their new house lot is a quarter acre at most./

[at odds] In conflict or disagreement; opposed. * /The boy and girl were married a week after they met and soon found themselves at odds about religion./ Compare: AT LOGGERHEADS.

[at once] 1. Without delay; right now or right then; immediately. * /Put a burning match next to a piece of paper and it will begin burning at once./ * /Mother called the children to lunch, and Paul came at once, but Brenda stayed in the sand pile a little longer./ Syn.: RIGHT AWAY or RIGHT OFF. Compare: ALL AT ONCE(2).

[at one] 1. In union or harmony; in agreement or sympathy. Not usually used informally. * /He felt at one with all the poets who have sung of love./ 2. Of the same opinion, in agreement. * /Husband and wife were at one on everything but money./ Contrast: AT ODDS.

[at one fell swoop] See: IN ONE FELL SWOOP.

[at one's beck and call] or [at the beck and call of] Ready and willing to do whatever someone asks; ready to serve at a moment's notice. * /A good parent isn't necessarily always at the child's beck and call./

[at one's best] In best form; displaying one's best qualities. * /Tim is at his best when he has had a long swim before a ballgame./ * /Jane rested before the important meeting because she wanted to be at her best./

[at one's door] or [at one's doorstep] 1. Very close; very near where you live or work. * /Johnny is very lucky because there's a swimming pool right at his doorstep./ * /Mr. Green can get to work in only a few minutes because the subway is at his door./ 2. See: LAY AT ONE'S DOOR.

[at one's ease] See: AT EASE(2).

[at one's elbow] 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.