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Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:29 am Idioms 'have at' and have at it' |
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Hi Haihao,
Sorry, can't help you here. Perhaps you can give me a sentence using 'have at'. The only similar expression I know is 'have a go at' in the sense of 'attack verbally' as in: Newspapers enjoy having a go at the Prime Minister over his most recent policies.
A _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Words, words, words... |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 6930 Location: UK
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Wed Jan 31, 2007 16:51 pm Idioms 'have at' and have at it' |
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Hi Haihao
I see that "have at" is mentioned in both Webster's and the American Heritage dictionaries (defined as a sort of attack), but I have to admit, I don't believe I've ever used that expression before -- and certainly not with the meaning "go ahead" or "help yourself".
I think I'd probably say "go at" and "go at it" (referring to a kind of attack or fight).
Amy |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 6852 Location: USA
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Thu Feb 01, 2007 2:14 am Idioms 'have at' and have at it' |
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Hi Alan, Hi Amy,
My sincerest appreciations (as all the time) to both of you for your generous and considerate interpretations and instructions. It is so real to me, both as a fact and as a feeling, that my English has been improved much more than I had expected since I joined your site here. Actually I have no other English teachers to give me help at present.
I bumped into the phrase 'have at it' yesterday for the first time as the following two idiom teaching conversations in a book showed up:
A. - I'm really hungry. - Here's a sandwich for you. Have at it.
B. - I wish I had a computer like this. - No one's using this one now, so have at it.
They made me think of the phrase 'have at' in 'have at bay but fail to defeat'. Now I am realizing maybe the latter isn't relevant.
haihao |
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Haihao I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 1226 Location: Japan
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Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:00 am Idioms 'have at' and have at it' |
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Hi Haihao
Well, I asked around today, and I can now confirm the usage (other than just in the dictionary). There are some people who use the expression 'have at it' to mean 'go ahead' or 'help yourself', but people also seem to consider it to be slang.
Amy |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 6852 Location: USA
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Thu Feb 01, 2007 9:54 am Idioms 'have at' and have at it' |
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Hi Amy,
Thank you again and sorry for bothering you ever and again. By the way, (sorry again) could I ask another question?
What ticket does the 'ticket' refer to in the idiom 'that's the ticket!'? Thank you.
haihao |
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Haihao I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 1226 Location: Japan
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Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:52 am Idioms 'have at' and have at it' |
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Hi,
I would suggest 'ticket' is rather like a certificate or something official and so 'that's the ticket' as an expression means 'that's correct' or 'that's what we need here.'
A _________________ English as a Foreign Language You can read my EFL story Three Letters for You? |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 6930 Location: UK
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Thu Feb 01, 2007 13:48 pm Idioms 'have at' and have at it' |
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Now that's an idiom that I've actually heard. I have no idea why the word 'ticket' is used, but there is a suggested reason here.
Amy |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 6852 Location: USA
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| Some idioms with 'day' | Do fountains and buds "burst open"? |