在英语里,介词短语(prepositional phrases)数量之多,可以和片语动词(phrasal verbs)互相比拟,不与它们亲近也难。
下面是些由“at”引导的介词短语,你都见过吗?
1. At bay:(经常和keep或hold连用)使……不能接近
One of the gangsters kept the police at bay until the rest escaped.
2. At bottom:实际上
Judy said she was not jealous of her friends' success, but at bottom, she was.
3. At close quarters:逼近地
The two rivals grappled at close quarters.
4. At cross purposes:互相误解
I think we are at cross purposes. When I said "J.C.", I meant "Jason Chen", not "John Chen".
5. At daggers drawn:势不两立
Dan and Bob have been at daggers drawn for years. There is no evidence that they will make up.
6. At every turn:处处
When you go downtown, you will see shops, big and small, at every turn.
7. At one fell swoop:一举
Which country can invade another country and conquer it at one fell swoop?
8. At issue:在讨论中的
The question asked was not relevant to the matter at issue .
9. At large:一般的;逍遥法外的。
a. The people at large support the government's various policies.
b. Some illegal immigrants were caught, but some others are still at large.
10. At length:详细地
Time did not allow the speaker to talk about the financial turmoil at length.
11. At loggerheads with……:经常和……争吵
Mr and Mrs Thang are often at loggerheads with each other. Why can't they get along well?