I Show She's Somebody/Something Preposition ət æt Corner

• at the corner of the street
• we changed at crewe.
• they arrived late at the airport.
• at the roundabout take the third exit.

at

1. 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?
2. used to say where somebody works or studies
• He's been at the bank longer than anyone else.
• She's at Yale (= Yale University).
3. 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.
• What are you doing at the weekend?
4. used to state the age at which somebody does something
• She got married at 25.
• He left school at the age of 16.
5. in the direction of or towards somebody/something
• What are you looking at?
• He pointed a gun at her.
• Somebody threw paint at the prime minister.
6. 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).
7. used with adjectives to show how well somebody does something
• I'm good at French.
• She's hopeless at managing people.
8. 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.
9. 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?
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. used with adjectives to show the cause of something
• They were impatient at the delay.
• She was delighted at the result.
13. in response to something
• They attended the dinner at the chairman's invitation.
14. used when giving a phone number
• You can reach me at 637-2335, extension 354.
15. the symbol (@) used in email addresses
16. used when you are giving an extra piece of information
• He managed to buy a car after all—and a nice one at that.
17. to be doing something, especially something bad
• Look at all that graffiti—those kids have been at it again.
18. 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.

Word Origin

• Old English æt, of Germanic origin; related to Old Frisian et and Old Norse at, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin ad ‘to’.