- used to say where something/somebody is or where something happens
- at the corner of the street
- We changed at Crewe.
- They arrived late at the airport.
- At the roundabout take the third exit.
- I'll be at home all morning.
- She's at Tom's (= at Tom's house).
- I met her at the hospital.
- How many people were there at the concert?
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- used to say where somebody works or studies
- He's been at the bank longer than anyone else.
- She's at Yale (= Yale University).
- used to say when something happens
- We left at 2 o'clock.
- at the end of the week
- We woke at dawn.
- I didn't know at the time of writing (= when I wrote).
- At night you can see the stars.
- (British English) What are you doing at the weekend?
- used to state the age at which somebody does something
- She got married at 25.
- He left school at the age of 16.
- in the direction of or towards somebody/something
- What are you looking at?
- He pointed the gun at the target.
- Somebody threw paint at the prime minister.
- used after a verb to show that somebody tries to do something, or partly does something, but does not succeed or complete it
- He clutched wildly at the rope as he fell.
- She nibbled at a sandwich (= ate only small bits of it).
- used with adjectives to show how well somebody does something
- I'm good at French.
- She's hopeless at managing people.
- used to show a rate, speed, etc.
- He was driving at 70 mph.
- The noise came at two-minute intervals (= once every two minutes).
- Prices start at $1 000.
- The book retails at £19.95.
- used to state the distance away from something
- I held it at arm's length.
- Can you read a car number plate at fifty metres?
- used to show the situation somebody/something is in, what somebody is doing or what is happening
- The country is now at war.
- I felt at a disadvantage.
- I think Mr Harris is at lunch.
- at somebody’s/something’s best/worst, etc. used to say that somebody/something is as good, bad, etc. as they can be
- This was Osaka at her best.
- The garden's at its most beautiful in June.
- used with adjectives to show the cause of something
- They were impatient at the delay.
- She was delighted at the result.
- (formal) in response to something
- They attended the dinner at the chairman's invitation.
- (North American English) used when giving a phone number
- You can reach me at 637-2335, extension 354.
- /æt//æt/(computing) the symbol (@) used in email addressesTopics Phones, email and the interneta1
Word OriginOld English æt, of Germanic origin; related to Old Frisian et and Old Norse at, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin ad ‘to’.
Idioms
See at in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee at in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishat that
- used when you are giving an extra piece of information
- He managed to buy a car after all—and a nice one at that.
be at it again
- to be doing something, especially something bad
- Look at all that graffiti—those kids have been at it again.
where it’s at
- (informal) a place or an activity that is very popular or fashionable
- Judging by the crowds waiting to get in, this seems to be where it's at.
Check pronunciation:
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