at

at

at¹ [at; ] unstressed [ ət]

prep.

[ME < OE æt; akin to Goth, OS, ON at & L ad at, in, to]

1. on; in; near; by: at is the preposition of general (usually static) location, and is replaced by in, on, etc. when a more precise indication of location is needed [at the office, at the edge of town]

2.

a) to or toward as the goal or object [look at her, swing at the ball, don't shout at me]

b) criticizing, attacking, pestering, etc. [the critics are at him again]

3. through [come in at the front door]

4. from [get the facts at their source]

5. attending [at the party]

6. occupied in; busy with [at work]

7. in a condition or state of [at war]

8. in the manner of [at a trot]

9. because of; in response to [terrified at the sight, to smile at a remark]

10. according to [at his discretion]

11. with reference to [good at tennis]

12. in the amount or number, to the degree, for the price, etc. of [at twenty miles per hour, at five cents each]

13. from an interval or distance of [visible at half a mile, at arm's length]

14.

a) occurring on the hour, minute, etc. of [at five fifteen]

b) being of the age of [at sixty-five]

15. during the period of [it happened at night]

at² [ät, at]

n.

pl. at [Thai]

a monetary unit of Laos, equal to ¹/ ₁₀₀ of a kip

at³

abbrev.

1. airtight

2. atomic