[at sea(1)]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. On an ocean voyage; on ajourney by ship. •/They had first met at sea./ 2. Out on the ocean; awayfrom land. •/By the second day the ship was well out at sea./ •/Charleshad 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./ •/Whenhis friends talked about chemistry, Don was at sea, because he did not studychemistry./ Compare: AT A LOSS.

[at sight] or [on sight] {adv. phr.} 1. The first time the personor thing is seen; as soon as the person or thing is seen. •/First graderslearn to read many words on sight./ •/Mary had seen many pictures ofGrandfather, so she knew him on sight./ Compare: AT ONCE(1). 2. On demand, onasking the first time. •/The money order was payable at sight./

[at sixes and sevens]{adj. phr.} Not in order; in confusion; in amess. •/He apologized because his wife was away and the house was at sixesand sevens./ •/Our teacher had just moved to a new classroom, and she wasstill 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 anactivity; at (some) point. •/At that stage of the game, our team was doing sopoorly that we were ready to give up./ •/It’s hard to know what will happenat this stage of the game./ •/At what stage of the game did the manleave?/

[at stake]{adj. phr.} Depending, like a bet, on the outcome ofsomething uncertain; in a position to be lost or gained. •/The team playedhard because the championship of the state was at stake./ •/The farmerswere more anxious for rain than the people in the city because they had more atstake./ Compare: HANG IN THE BALANCE.

[at straws] See: GRASP AT STRAWS.

[at swords' points]{adj. phr.} Ready to start fighting; very muchopposed to each; other hostile; quarreling. •/The dog’s barking kept theBrowns at swords' points with their neighbors for months./ •/The mayor andthe 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 haircutbut let it go at that./ 2. In addition; also. •/Bill’s seat mate on theplane 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, becauseshe 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 dropof a hat, he would tell the story of the canal he wanted to build./ •/Hewas quarrelsome and ready to fight at the drop of a hat./

[at the eleventh hour]{prep. phr.} At the last possible time. •/AuntMathilda got married at the eleventh hour; after all, she was already 49 yearsold./

[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 championhad the other boxer at his mercy./ •/The picnic was at the mercy of theweather./ •/The small grocer was at the mercy of people he owed moneyto./

[at the most] See: AT MOST.

[at the outset]{adv. phr.} At the start; at the beginning. •/"You’lllive in the cheaper barracks at the outset; later you can move into the bettercabins," the camp director said to the new boys./

[at the outside]{adv. phr.} Maximally; at the utmost. •/This oldhouse can cost no more than $40,000 at the outside./

[at the point of]{prep.} Very near to; almost at or in. •/When Marybroke her favorite bracelet, she was at the point of tears./ •/The boy hurtin 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 thebow, harpoon at the ready, as the boat neared the whale./

[at the same time]{adv. phr.} 1. In the same moment; together. •/Thetwo runners reached the finish line at the same time./ Syn.: AT ONCE, AT ONETIME. 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 verywell./

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

[at the table] or [at table] {adv. phr.} At a meal; at the dinnertable. •/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 wasat the tip of my tongue to tell him, when the phone rang./ •/John had arude answer on the tip of his tongue, but he remembered his manners just intime./ 2. Almost remembered; at the point where one can almost say it butcannot 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 hislungs./

[at this rate] or [at that rate] {adv. phr.} At a speed like thisor that; with progress like this or that. •/John’s father said that if Johnkept going at that rate he would never finish cutting the grass./ •/SoJohnny has a whole dollar! At this rate he’ll be a millionaire./ •/"Three100’s in the last four tests! At this rate you’ll soon be teaching thesubject," Tom said to Mary./

[at times]{adv. phr.} Not often; not regularly; not every day; notevery week; occasionally; sometimes. •/At times Tom’s mother lets him holdthe baby./ •/You can certainly be exasperating, at times!/ •/We havepie for dinner at times./ Syn.: FROM TIME TO TIME, NOW AND THEN, ONCE IN AWHILE.

[at will]{adv. phr.} As you like; as you please or choose freely.•/Little Bobby is allowed to wander at will in the neighborhood./ •/Withan air conditioner you can enjoy comfortable temperatures at will./

[at wits end] See: AT ONE’S WIT’S END.

[at work]{adj. phr.} Busy at a job; doing work. •/The teacher wassoon hard at work correcting that day’s test./ •/Jim is at work on hiscar./

[at worst] or [at the worst] {adv. phr.} 1. Under the worstconditions; as the worst possibility. •/When Don was caught cheating in theexamination he thought that at worst he would get a scolding./ Compare: ATMOST. Contrast AT BEST. 2. In the least favorable view, to say the worst abouta thing. •/The treasurer had certainly not stolen any of the club’s money; atworst, he had forgotten to write down some of the things he had spent moneyfor./