| 1. At one’s wit’s end |
(perplexed) Sohan was at his wit’s end to find that his younger brother has taken poison. |
| 2. At one’s fingertips |
(complete knowledge) All the rules of synthesis are at his fingertips. |
| 3. At the spur of the moment |
(without delay) In an interview we must reply at the spur of the moment. |
| 4. All in all |
(most important) As he was the only son in a big family, he was all in all in his home. |
| 5. At close quarters |
(close examinations) Many of my friends proved selfish at close quarters. |
| 6. Apple pie order |
(in perfect order) On the eve of inspection everything was kept in apple pie order. |
| 7. Above board |
(honest and straightforward) He is known for his above board conduct. |
| 8. Above all |
(before everything else) Above all, he is blunt and dare devil. |
| 9. As fit as a fiddle |
(strong and healthy) He has recovered from illness and now he is as fit as a fiddle. |
| 10. At random |
(aimlessly) The militants fired at random killing a lot of innocent persons. |
| 11. At a loose end |
(unoccupied, idle) Now a days he is at a loose end because he has wound up his business. |
| 12. At logger heads |
(to be at strife) The partners of our firm are at logger heads these days. |
| 13. At odds |
(in dispute) The members of the group were at odds over the selection procedure. |
| 14. An apple of discord |
(cause of quarrel) Ancestral property is an apple of discord between two sisters. |
| 15. At cross purposes |
(have conflicting intentions) How can there be peace in their family when husband and wife are at cross purposes. |
| 16. After one’s own heart |
(to one’s liking) When Deepa met a man after her own heart, she got married to him. |
| 17. At the bottom of |
(to be mainly responsible for) It was found later that Shanu was at the bottom of the whole trouble. |
| 18. At a loss |
(to be unable to decide) I am at a loss to know what to do. |
| 19. At dagger’s drawn |
(to have bitter enmity) The quarrel between the two brothers has grown more bitter now and they are at dagger’s drawn. |
| 20. At large |
(abscond, to keep unchained) People keep their dogs at large at night. |
| 21. At sea |
(applied to a person confused) My sister is quite at sea in Maths; she cannot solve a single problem. |
| 22. Add fuel to the flame or fire |
(to make matter worse) The attempt to suppress the agitation of the strikers only added fuel to the flame. |
| 23. At sixes and sevens |
(in disorder) There was a robbery in our neighbourhood last night and when I entered the house to inquire, everything was at sixes and sevens. |
| 24. Assume airs |
(to pretend superiority) The rich are in the habit of assuming airs in the presence of their poor relations. |
| 25. Argus eyed |
(careful, observant) As a politician, he is Argus eyed and never overlooks even a small matter. |
| 26. At a stone’s throw |
(very close) My friend’s house is at a stone’s throw from mine. |