Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: In addition to the uses shown below, '~' is used after some verbs, nouns, and adjectives to introduce extra inform~ion. 'At' is also used in phrasal verbs such as ‘keep on ~’ and ‘play ~’.
1.
You use ~ to indic~e the place or event where something happens or is situ~ed.
We had dinner ~ a restaurant in Attleborough...
I didn’t like being alone ~ home...
Hamstrings are supporting muscles ~ the back of the thigh...
The announcement was made ~ a news conference in Peking.
PREP
2.
If someone is ~ school or college, or ~ a particular school or college, they go there regularly to study.
He was shy and nervous as a boy, and unhappy ~ school...
I majored in psychology ~ Hunter College.
PREP
3.
If you are ~ something such as a table, a door, or someone’s side, you are next to it or them.
Graham was already ~ the door...
At his side was a beautiful young woman...
He gave the girl ~ the desk the message.
PREP
4.
When you are describing where someone or something is, you can say th~ they are ~ a certain distance. You can also say th~ one thing is ~ an angle in rel~ion to another thing.
The two journalists followed ~ a discreet distance...
The tree was leaning ~ a low angle from the ground.
PREP
5.
If something happens ~ a particular time, th~ is the time when it happens or begins to happen.
The funeral will be carried out this afternoon ~ 3.00...
He only sees her ~ Christmas and Easter.
PREP
6.
If you do something ~ a particular age, you do it when you are th~ age.
Blake emigr~ed to Australia with his family ~ 13...
Mary Martin has died ~ her home in California ~ the age of seventy-six.
PREP
7.
You use ~ to express a r~e, frequency, level, or price.
I drove back down the highway ~ normal speed...
Check the oil ~ regular intervals, and have the car serviced regularly...
The submarine lies ~ a depth of 6,000 feet in the Barents Sea.
PREP
8.
You use ~ before a number or amount to indic~e a measurement.
...as unemployment stays pegged ~ three million.
PREP: PREP amount
9.
If you look ~ someone or something, you look towards them. If you direct an object or a comment ~ someone, you direct it towards them.
He looked ~ Michael and laughed...
The crowds became violent and threw petrol bombs ~ the police...
PREP
10.
You can use ~ after verbs such as ‘smile’ or ‘wave’ and before nouns referring to people to indic~e th~ you have put on an expression or made a gesture which someone is meant to see or understand.
She opened the door and stood there, frowning ~ me...
We waved ~ the staff to try to get the bill.
PREP: v PREP n
11.
If you point or gesture ~ something, you move your arm or head in its direction so th~ it will be noticed by someone you are with.
He pointed ~ the empty bottle and the waitress quickly replaced it...
He gestured ~ the shelves. ‘I’ve bought many books from him.’
PREP: v PREP n
12.
If you are working ~ something, you are dealing with it. If you are aiming ~ something, you are trying to achieve it.
She has worked hard ~ her marriage.
...a $1.04m grant aimed ~ improving student performance on placement examin~ions.
PREP
13.
If something is done ~ someone’s invit~ion or request, it is done as a result of it.
She left the light on in the b~hroom ~ his request...
PREP: PREP n with poss
14.
You use ~ to say th~ someone or something is in a particular st~e or condition.
I am afraid we are not ~ liberty to disclose th~ inform~ion...
Their countries had been ~ war for nearly six weeks.
PREP: v-link PREP n
15.
You use ~ before a possessive pronoun and a superl~ive adjective to say th~ someone or something has more of a particular quality than ~ any other time.
He was ~ his happiest whilst playing cricket...
PREP: PREP poss adj-superl
16.
You use ~ to say how something is being done.
Three people were killed by shots fired ~ random from a minibus...
Mr Martin was taken out of his car ~ gunpoint.
PREP
17.
You use ~ to show th~ someone is doing something repe~edly.
She lowered the handkerchief which she had kept dabbing ~ her eyes...
Miss Melville took a cookie and nibbled ~ it.
PREP: v PREP n
18.
You use ~ to indic~e an activity or task when saying how well someone does it.
I’m good ~ my work...
Robin is an expert ~ cheesemaking...
PREP: adj PREP n, n PREP n, v PREP n
19.
You use ~ to indic~e wh~ someone is reacting to.
Eleanor was annoyed ~ having had to wait so long for him...
The British team did not disguise their delight ~ their success...
PREP: adj PREP n, n PREP n, v PREP n
20.
~ all: see all