at

Meanings

1. 1
   prep

   In or near a particular place.

   I will meet you at the station.

2. 2
   prep

   Used to show a particular point in time.

   The film starts at six o'clock.

3. 3
   prep

   Present during an event.

   Was he at the meeting yesterday?

4. 4
   prep

   In the direction of someone or something.

   She smiled at the little boy.

5. 5
   prep

   Busy with or doing an activity.

   The men are at work in the field.

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Germanic *at Old English æt Middle English at English at From Middle English at, from Old English æt (“at, near, by, toward”), from Proto-West Germanic *at, from Proto-Germanic *at (“at, near, to”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd (“near, at”). Cognate with Scots at (“at”), North Frisian äät, äit, et, it (“at”), Danish at (“to”), Swedish åt (“for, toward”), Norwegian åt (“to”), Faroese at (“at, to, toward”), Icelandic að (“to, towards”), Gothic 𐌰𐍄 (at, “at”), Latin ad (“to, near”).

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