Adam Makkai - Словарь американских идиом: 8000 единиц

[at one’s best] {prep. phr.} 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] {adv. phr.} 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] {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.

[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.