at someone Thành ngữ, tục ngữ
at someone
always ready to serve somebody His eldest daughter is always at his beck and call when he spends an evening at home.
beat someone to the punch (draw)
do something before others He beat me to the punch and arrived at the interview first.
make a pass at someone
make romantic advances to a member of the opposite sex He was fired because he made a pass at one of the women who he works with.
treat someone
pay for someone else He treated me to a dinner at the restaurant.
Beat someone to the draw
(USA) If you beat someone to the draw, you do something before they do.
Eat someone alive
If you eat someone alive, you defeat or beat them comprehensively.
Throw the book at someone
If you throw the book at someone, you punish them as severely as possible.
eat someone out of house and home
eat a lot of food: "When they stayed with me, they ate me out of house and home!"
be at someone's beck and call
to always be ready to do what someone wants: "As the office junior, she was at his beck and call all day."
to chat someone up
to talk to someone because you are attracted to them: "He went to a party and chatted up every woman."
throw oneself at someone's feet|feet|foot|throw
v. phr. To make a public display of serving, loving, or worshipping someone.
When Arthur became king, almost all of the nobles threw themselves at his feet and promised to obey and serve him. When the new girl entered school, several boys threw themselves at her feet.
throw oneself at someone's head|fling oneself at s
v. phr.,
informal To try hard and openly to make a person love you.
She threw herself at his head, but he was interested in another girl. Compare: AT ONE'S FEET.
at someone's
at someone's In addition to idioms beginning with
at someone's, also see idioms beginning with
at one's.
at someone's beck and call
at someone's beck and call Required to comply with someone's requests or commands, as in
The boss expects the entire staff to be at his beck and call. The noun
beck, now obsolete except in this idiom, meant “a gesture or signal of command, such as a nod or hand movement,” whereas
call signifies “a vocal summons.” Also see
dance attendance on.
at someone's elbow
at someone's elbow Immediately beside someone, close by, as in
The apprentice was constantly at the master's elbow. Why this idiom focuses on the elbow rather than the arm, shoulder, or some other body part is not known. Moreover, it can mean either that someone is so nearby as to constitute a nuisance or in order to readily provide assistance. Either can be meant in the example above. [Mid-1500s]
at someone's feet, be
at someone's feet, be Also,
sit at someone's feet. Be enchanted or fascinated by someone, as in
Dozens of boys are at her feet, or
Bill sat at his mentor's feet for nearly three years, but he gradually became disillusioned and left the university. [Early 1700s] For a quite different meaning, see
under one's feet.
at someone's heels
at someone's heels Also,
on someone's heels. Immediately behind, in close pursuit. This idiom is used both literally, as in
Jean's dog was always at her heels, and figuratively, as in
Although his company dominated the technology, he always felt that his competitors were on his heels. This idiom appeared in the 14th-century romance
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The expression is sometimes intensified as
hard on someone's heels or
hot on someone's heels. Also see
on the heels of.
at someone's mercy
at someone's mercy see
at the mercy of.
at someone's request
at someone's request On being asked to do something, as in
At my request they'll move us to another room, or
I'm speaking at his request. [1300s] Also see
by request.
at someone's service
at someone's service Ready to help someone, at someone's disposal, as in
The tour guide said he was at our service for the rest of the afternoon. [Second half of 1600s]
beat someone at his or her own game
beat someone at his or her own game Surpass someone in his or her own specialty or undertaking. For example,
Jean knew that if she matched the new store's discount she would keep all her customers and beat the new competitors at their own game. The use of
game for any kind of undertaking or scheme dates from the mid-1200s.
eat someone out
eat someone out see
eat out, def. 2.
eat someone up
eat someone up see
eat out, def. 2.
eat someone's ass out
eat someone's ass out Rebuke or scold harshly, as in
Watch it or the sergeant will eat your ass out. This expression became wide-spread especially in the armed forces. [Vulgar slang; c. 1940]
eat someone's lunch
eat someone's lunch see under
eat someone alive.
fling oneself at someone
fling oneself at someone Also,
fling or
throw oneself at someone's head. Try openly to make someone love one. For example,
She was constantly phoning him and inviting him over, really flinging herself at him, or
Mom said she should stop throwing herself at his head.
lay at someone's door
lay at someone's door Impute or lay the blame on someone; make someone responsible for something (usually discreditable). For example,
That this law failed to pass can be laid at your door, Senator. [c. 1700]
put at someone's disposal
put at someone's disposal Allow one to use, as in
They put their car at our disposal for our entire stay. This idiom employs
disposal in the sense of “the liberty or power to use something,” a usage dating from the early-1600s.
at someone
always accessible to serve somebody His earlier babe is consistently at his allure and alarm back he spends an black at home.
at someone's
at someone's In accession to idioms alpha with
at someone's, additionally see idioms alpha with
at one's.
at someone's allure and call
at someone's allure and call Required to accede with someone's requests or commands, as in
The bang-up expects the absolute agents to be at his allure and call. The noun
beck, now anachronistic except in this idiom, meant “a action or arresting of command, such as a nod or duke movement,” admitting
call signifies “a articulate summons.” Additionally see
dance appearance on.
at someone's elbow
at someone's elbow Immediately beside someone, abutting by, as in
The amateur was consistently at the master's elbow. Why this argot focuses on the bend rather than the arm, shoulder, or some added anatomy allotment is not known. Moreover, it can beggarly either that addition is so adjacent as to aggregate a nuisance or in adjustment to readily accommodate assistance. Either can be meant in the archetype above. [Mid-1500s]
at someone's feet, be
at someone's feet, be Also,
sit at someone's feet. Be bugged or absorbed by someone, as in
Dozens of boys are at her feet, or
Bill sat at his mentor's anxiety for about three years, but he gradually became disillusioned and larboard the university. [Early 1700s] For a absolutely altered meaning, see
under one's feet.
at someone's heels
at someone's heels Also,
on someone's heels. Immediately behind, in abutting pursuit. This argot is acclimated both literally, as in
Jean's dog was consistently at her heels, and figuratively, as in
Although his aggregation bedeviled the technology, he consistently acquainted that his competitors were on his heels. This argot appeared in the 14th-century affair
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The announcement is sometimes agitated as
hard on someone's heels or
hot on someone's heels. Additionally see
on the heels of.
at someone's mercy
at someone's mercy see
at the benevolence of.
at someone's request
at someone's request On actuality asked to do something, as in
At my appeal they'll move us to addition room, or
I'm speaking at his request. [1300s] Additionally see
by request.
at someone's service
at someone's service Accessible to advice someone, at someone's disposal, as in
The bout adviser said he was at our account for the blow of the afternoon. [Second bisected of 1600s]
be at someone's allure and call
to consistently be accessible to do what addition wants: "As the appointment junior, she was at his allure and alarm all day."
beat addition at his or her own game
beat addition at his or her own game Surpass addition in his or her own specialty or undertaking. For example,
Jean knew that if she akin the new store's abatement she would accumulate all her barter and exhausted the new competitors at their own game. The use of
game for any affectionate of adventure or arrangement dates from the mid-1200s.
Beat addition to the draw
(USA) If you exhausted addition to the draw, you do article afore they do.
beat addition to the bite (draw)
do article afore others He exhausted me to the bite and accustomed at the account first.
Eat addition alive
If you eat addition alive, you defeat or exhausted them comprehensively.
eat addition out
eat addition out see
eat out, def. 2.
eat addition out of abode and home
eat a lot of food: "When they backward with me, they ate me out of abode and home!"
eat addition up
eat addition up see
eat out, def. 2.
eat someone's ass out
eat someone's ass out Rebuke or abuse harshly, as in
Watch it or the baker will eat your ass out. This announcement became wide-spread abnormally in the armed forces. [Vulgar slang; c. 1940]
eat someone's lunch
eat someone's lunch Learn added
eat addition alive.
fling oneself at someone
fling oneself at someone Also,
fling or
bandy oneself at someone's head. Try aboveboard to accomplish addition love one. For example,
She was consistently phoning him and agreeable him over, absolutely casting herself at him, or
Mom said she should stop throwing herself at his head.
lay at someone's door
lay at someone's door Impute or lay the accusation on someone; accomplish addition amenable for article (usually discreditable). For example,
That this law bootless to canyon can be laid at your door, Senator. [c. 1700]
make a canyon at someone
make adventurous advances to a affiliate of the adverse sex He was accursed because he fabricated a canyon at one of the women who he works with.
put at someone's disposal
put at someone's disposal Allow one to use, as in
They put their car at our auctioning for our absolute stay. This argot employs
disposal in the faculty of “the alternative or ability to use something,” a acceptance dating from the early-1600s.
throw oneself at someone's feet|feet|foot|throw
v. phr. To accomplish a accessible affectation of serving, loving, or admiration someone.
When Arthur became king, about all of the nobles threw themselves at his anxiety and promised to obey and serve him. When the new babe entered school, several boys threw themselves at her feet.
throw oneself at someone's head|fling oneself at s
v. phr.,
informal To try adamantine and aboveboard to accomplish a being love you.
She threw herself at his head, but he was absorbed in addition girl. Compare: AT ONE'S FEET.
Throw the book at someone
If you bandy the book at someone, you abuse them as acutely as possible.
to babble addition up
to allocution to addition because you are admiring to them: "He went to a affair and chatted up every woman."
treat someone
pay for addition abroad He advised me to a banquet at the restaurant. Dictionary