have at
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle at
Meanings
Start doing something eagerly
Why “at”? AT can show steady effort on one task. The effort stays on the same point.
“The buffet is open, so have at it.”
“When the box arrived, Sam had at it with scissors.”
Test yourself
“The buffet is open, so have at it.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
be at
Same at pattern: effort
Be in a particular place or point; Be doing something again, often something annoying
go at
Same at pattern: effort
Work on something with strong energy; Attack or argue with strong energy
keep at
Same at pattern: effort
Continue trying with effort
pick at
Same at pattern: effort
Touch or pull small parts repeatedly
work at
Same at pattern: effort
Make steady effort on a task or skill
have on
Same base verb: have
Be currently wearing something
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